PrayerLife

An encounter with Jesus in Mark 9 reveals a weakness in faith that we all share. "And they brought the boy to him (Jesus). And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and i...

An encounter with Jesus in Mark 9 reveals a weakness in faith that we all share. "And they brought the boy to him (Jesus). And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and i...

Sometimes God acts to simply demonstrate what He can do, and not to say that He always will. When something is 'out of the ordinary' it is extraordinary. Acts 19 tells us that "God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them" (1...

Sometimes God acts to simply demonstrate what He can do, and not to say that He always will. When something is 'out of the ordinary' it is extraordinary. Acts 19 tells us that "God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them" (1...

John the Baptist sat in a dark dungeon cell waiting for his death sentence to be carried out. He didn't mind dying for a righteous cause, he just wanted to make sure that Jesus' identity and ministry were worth dying for. He sent two messengers to verify that Jesus really was "the One." Jesus responded by saying to them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight...

John the Baptist sat in a dark dungeon cell waiting for his death sentence to be carried out. He didn't mind dying for a righteous cause, he just wanted to make sure that Jesus' identity and ministry were worth dying for. He sent two messengers to verify that Jesus really was "the One." Jesus responded by saying to them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight...

Church leaders are to serve as representatives of Jesus to the broader Body of Christ. As stewards of Christ's mission, they are to fulfill the calling that Christ has extended, doing so in word and power. According to James 5:14, a clear ministry that leaders are to be actively involved in is the ministry of healing prayer. The healing is not their responsibility but the inviting God t heal is.

Church leaders are to serve as representatives of Jesus to the broader Body of Christ. As stewards of Christ's mission, they are to fulfill the calling that Christ has extended, doing so in word and power. According to James 5:14, a clear ministry that leaders are to be actively involved in is the ministry of healing prayer. The healing is not their responsibility but the inviting God t heal is.

1 Corinthians 12 makes it clear that God chooses not only to express healing power himself and through others, but He also specifically "gifts" some with unique gifts of healing in order to bless an strengthen the Church. As stewards of God's gracious gifts, we need to faithfully employ whatever abilities He entrusts to us.

1 Corinthians 12 makes it clear that God chooses not only to express healing power himself and through others, but He also specifically "gifts" some with unique gifts of healing in order to bless an strengthen the Church. As stewards of God's gracious gifts, we need to faithfully employ whatever abilities He entrusts to us.

The New Testament Church embraced healing as a normal ministry of Jesus in their midst. They prayed for it and anticipated it. Their firm conviction was that God was abundantly able to heal, that He extended to them the freedom to ask for Him to heal, but that they must yield to His sovereign answer. The Church today needs to normalize a new awareness and anticipation of the supernatural in daily...

Because of what Jesus has accomplished on our behalf we have the freedom to approach the throne of God with bold confidence (see Heb. 4:16). That reality, alone, needs to inform the way view ourselves and live each day.

Centuries before Jesus was born in Bethlehem the prophet Isaiah declared "He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isa. 53:5-6). Jesus took the puni...

As a result of placing our faith in Jesus, our sin has been forgiven and the righteousness of God has been given to us as a gift. Therefore the apostle Paul can confidently declare, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). God has graciously given us something we could never have earned.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). God is righteous and just when He forgives us because someone else has suffered the total penalty for your sin and mine ... and his name is Jesus.

After engaging in adultery and conspiring to commit murder, King David humbly confesses his sin. He affirms, "Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" (Ps. 51:7). The picture of being made whiter than snow reveals the totality of God's cleansing and forgiveness. We can all be grateful for God's gracious forgiveness.

Does God hold a grudge? Does His blood pressure continue to rise as our list of offenses grows? Many have this misguided view of God. Psalm 103 tells us, "As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us" (vs. 12). Because of Jesus, our sins are infinitely removed from us. That's worth celebrating!

When the prodigal son returned home, after living in debauchery and squandering his inheritance, he didn't know how his father would respond. Disapproval? Disgust? Hostile rejection? Luke tells us, "while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him" (Luke 15:11-32). Unrestrained celebration and unconditional love. That is our Heavenl...

One of the most noble and powerful uses of prayer is to intercede on behalf of others. Intercession is coming before God on behalf of another, seeking their blessing. In fact, we serve an interceding God. Jesus is continuously interceding for us, representing us before the Father.

Today's PrayerLife marks the end of our 31 Day PrayerLife Journey 2015. I would like to leave you with one of the most beautiful blessings in all the Bible. "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26).

"Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). A dear friend once made this insightful observation - "If you are opposed by God, you are supremely opposed." God strongly supports those who embrace the life-giving character quality of humility.

Just as beloved children mimic their parents, we are to be imitators of our Heavenly Father (see Eph. 5:1). We are called, as beloved children of God, to conduct ourselves each day in a way that reflects our heavenly Father.

We are in constant, cosmic spiritual warfare. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). We are to use the truths of our identity in Jesus as our spiritual weapons against Satan.

There is no greater blessing imaginable than being a recipient of every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. That is our reality by virtue of being "in Christ", having placed our faith in Him. The Apostle Paul declares, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ withevery spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (Eph. 1:3).

Our fundamental identity as followers of Jesus is that we are "in the Spirit" people. The Apostle Paul writes, "You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have theSpirit of Christ does not belong to him" (Rom. 8:9). We are not only filled with the presence of God, but we live and are essentially identified by the Spirit of...