Well, this is it – Day 21 – the goal – or is it?

What was the original goal of the challenge? I believe it was to start us on a journey of daily prayer that could be the most important thing in your life moving forward.

Let’s remember something we learned along the way of these 21 days:

1 John 5:14-15 Amplified Bible 

¹⁴ This is the [remarkable degree of] confidence which we [as believers are entitled to] have before Him: that ^[a]if we ask anything according to His will, [that is, consistent with His plan and purpose] He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know [for a fact, as indeed we do] that He hears and listens to us in whatever we ask, we [also] know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted to us] the requests which we have asked from Him.

I love the way the amplified version says this. It puts praying into another realm when we believe it’s going to be answered.

Here are just a few things I learned from the 21 days:

• God wants to answer my prayer – and He will answer it, if I pray something He wants too
• Prayer is powerful – it can literally accomplish ANYTHING God can do – which is anything
• Prayer is not magical – it is simple – Conversation between God and I – communication is the key to every good relationship
• I cannot accomplish ANYTHING worthwhile no matter how smart I am or how great I am without prayer.

Here is what I want for us as a class. Let’s agree to pray every single day for God to help us grow in our faith and knowledge of Him, grow in numbers by seeing new people come to our group, and grow in our service to those around us.

If we pray those things, God will answer.

I love you and I’M PRAYING FOR YOU!

PWG

http://www.acts413.net/21days

Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m really going to miss our Sunday nights together. I’ve really enjoyed talking with y’all about how to strengthen our marriages and families. I know my own marriage and family relationships need the attention, and I have learned so much from you!

Here is what we covered last night:

Week 4:  Intimacy, Time, Social Media, Wrap Up

Intimacy – 

• • • Emotional:  Emotional intimacy is generally defined as a closeness in which both partners feel secure and loved and in which trust and communication abound
    • Physical:  Physical intimacy is the connection that occurs as a result of sex. It’s only possible when other types of intimacy are achieved first.

Time 

• • • How does my time tell my spouse I feel about her?
    • What are some practical ways I can change how I spend my time to give my spouse what they need?
    • Find ways to spend time together instead of apart – working out, leisure activities, date nights, etc

Social Media:

Pros and cons

Why do we feel it is necessary?

Dangers

• • • Reconnect with old love interests
    • Predators – people who have the intent to break up your marriage or home – they do exist
    • It takes time – away from spouse and kids, job, etc

How can I manage it?

• • • Time limits per day
    • Only certain periods of the day
    • Never right when waking up or before bed
    • Give your spouse your passwords to all accounts so there are no secrets

My door is always open to you and your family. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any prayer requests or needs you may have.

PWG

The apostle Paul wrote in many of his letter to churches that he needed and wanted the prayers of the people there. He knew he faced opposition on many fronts to his presentation of the gospel, and he had learned through many trials He could not face those things in his own strength.

As I sit here this morning, I wonder how many times I pray with no real purpose. I don’t mean reading off some scripted prayer that includes my bullet points for the day, week, month, year, and everyone I can think of who might need anything. I mean, do I pray knowing there are specific things I need that day (my daily bread – from last Thursday night’s Bible study)? Do I pray with specific needs in mind, and offer myself as a conduit to help meet those needs?

I can tell you, I’m more of a spontaneous prayer. I don’t usually have a plan. I’m not saying that’s always bad – sometimes we just need to spend time with God. Other times, we need a clear plan of prayer because we have clear challenges ahead of us, and we need the creator of the universe to step in and do something supernatural.

Paul let the people know how to pray for him, and miraculously, God stepped in and did those exact things – in His way, but He answered every prayer to the letter. The record of this is in Acts 21-28.

So, what about you? Do you pray specific things for God’s purposes? I ask you to pray for me and our class today.

• Pray that God will bring us people in a flood like we’ve never seen before in our ministry
• Pray that people who come will see their need to be redeemed and see that Jesus is the only way
• Pray that God will guide me in every decision about our class – series, activities, and more
• Pray that God will send us more helpers – when He answers number 1, we’ll need them

Let’s see God answer these requests in His way!

PWG

http://www.acts413.net/21days

The question that struck me from day 19 is, is my prayer arranged around my activities or are my activities arranged around prayer? Which one is at the center of my life – What I do or my prayers?

Honestly, it is my activities. I pray when I have time, or when I feel like it, not all the time. I don’t pray, then plan my day. I look at my schedule and see when I can pray. As a pastor, I know prayer is powerful and the most important thing I can do, but I still don’t do it enough – or some days, ever.

Does your prayer help you minister and impact others around you? It should. God wants us to do those things so when we pray for those opportunities, He will answer.

PWG

http://www.acts413.net/21days

Pray without ceasing. When I hear that verse in 1 Thessalonians 5, I always feel like I have missed the mark because I want to pray more, but I’m not sure I’ll ever live up to that standard.

However, the reading today gives me hope. It says the word used for “ceasing” is really translated “omission”. So the thought is to pray without omission – or live without leaving prayer out of any situation or circumstance in life. It is an attitude of first response. I’m going to pray before I do anything else.

Please understand, that is not what I do. In fact, I almost never pray first and then do what God tells me to do. I usually start working on my solution, then when everything else has failed, I pray. The reading asks a question – What is our first response or reaction to disappointment, crisis, tragedy, or success? Is it to pray or is it to give our human response then pray?

Take a minute and evaluate your prayer times – do you feel like you pray enough to satisfy 1 Thessalonians 5:18?

PWG

http://www.acts413.net/21days

As you read the devotion for day 17, what pops into your mind? What prayers have you prayed before that you knew would be answered? What things would you pray now if you could know with 100% certainty they would be answered?

God gives us the opportunity to pray and know He will answer. If we pray things that are in His will – things that build up our faith, bless others, and glorify Him.

Let’s focus our prayer today on things that matter the most.

PWG

http://www.acts413.net/21days

I hope by this point in the challenge you have seen the power and necessity of prayer in our lives, but what about us praying for others? What does it look like when we lift other people up in prayer? When we share the amazing gift that was given to us – someone praying for us to come to faith in Jesus or be changed by His love, grace, and mercy?

To be honest with you, I don’t know who prayed for me when I was 8 years old. I suspect it was my mom and dad, my grandmother, and probably some Sunday School teacher. Whoever it was, they had a profound impact on my life. I did ask Jesus to save me, deliver me, and redeem me at that summer camp when I was 8. I have no idea what my life would be like now without that moment, but I know it would be very different.

We all have people we can pray for every day. Not just the people who are facing cancer or financial ruin or a marriage falling apart, but we have nieces and nephews, friends, co-workers, neighbors, church friends, and our pastors who may be doing just fine in the world’s eyes but need to lifted up before the Almighty God. Their lives may look great on the outside, but God knows something needs to be addressed and He gives you the opportunity to pray for them. Don’t pass up the privilege to be used in someone’s life today!

PWG

http://www.acts413.net/21days

The early church got together for some specific purposes. Acts 2:42 tells us what those were: doctrinal teaching, fellowship, eating together, and praying.

If I were to write a book on the way to a great church, I probably wouldn’t list those exact things. Or if I did list those things, would I really do them? I’m afraid I would put them down because they are in scripture, but I would then begin to work a plan that I came up with on my own.

We can talk about doctrinal teaching, fellowship, and eating together later, but the prayer part is our focus.  I love the line in the reading today that says “which is more important – private prayer or corporate (group) prayer? The answer is YES!”

Neither is more important. We are supposed to do both because that is the model we see in Jesus. I’m sorry I haven’t put enough emphasis on group prayers when we gather. I pledge to you that will change starting Thursday night this week.

PWG

http://www.acts413.net/21days

I hope each of you have enjoyed this class as much as I have! It has been awesome!

Week 3: 

Finances – continued, Outside Relationships

How did your budgets go?

What surprises came up?

What positives came about?

If you haven’t done a budget before, what are the benefits? 

• Living within your means
• Knowing how much you spend on each thing each month 
• Being prepared for unexpected emergencies 
• Not fighting about money because you know what to expect

Questions about finances

Outside relationships:

• What are the relationships that matter the most outside of our marriage?
  • • • Work
      • Friends
      • Family
• What are the positives and negatives of these types of relationships?
• What impact can they have on the marriage?

Here are 5 things that impact relationships in a negative way – you’ll see several we’ve talked about already. All 5 can deal with outside relationships and the impact they have on us.

1. 1. 1. Secrets spell trouble 
      2. Jealousy
      3. Financial issues
      4. Parenting disagreements
      5. Lack of communication – the biggest enemy

See you for week 4!

PWG

John 15 is the famous passage about the vine and the branches. Jesus tells the disciples a lot in these few verses, but one of the most impactful sections centers around this thought:  The ones who abide in me and I in them produce much fruit, but apart from me you can do nothing.

Let me clarify something for you. You can do lots of things on your own and in your own strength without God anywhere around. However, none of these things are the things we want to do or hope we do. Without God, I can make a mess of my relationships. Without God, I can waste a calling on my life. Without God, I can misuse my talents and abilities for my own gain. These are just the tip of the iceberg of what I can do apart from God.

So the real question becomes, what can I do if I’m truly connected to God all the time? If He is my vine – my source, my provider, my leader, my guide, my redeemer, and my purpose – then what could I really do for the people around me? The possibilities are endless and mind blowing!

The truth is, all of us are connected to something.  We all have a vine. God wants it to be Him, but you don’t have to choose Him. You can connect to anything you want to. You can choose to get your supplies from anywhere. So what will you choose today?

PWG

http://www.acts413.net/21days