I can still hear the sound of my father’s beautiful tenor voice as he sang these words to me and my sister as little girls at bedtime before we would drift off to sleep. I loved it when my dad sang. I loved the sound of his voice, the peace that his singing brought and the words that captured my imagination.
From the beginning of creation humanity was created to commune with God. Oswald Chambers wrote, “Prayer is not simply getting things from God, that is the most initial form of prayer; prayer is getting into perfect communion with God.”
“If you were just tougher and would man up, girls would like you, and everyone would think you are cool!” Sighing, Dan closed his eyes and attempted to silence the familiar lie that had repeated itself in his mind since his freshman year in high school.
Sometimes, even when we know what is true and right and that we are to think on those things, our thoughts become weighed down with distractions, hurts, or discouragement.
The Greek word for prophecy is prophetia. It means to proclaim a revelation or message received from God. It indicates the ability to hear God’s voice and to respond.
It had been a difficult transition time for our family. I remember the sense of relief Greg and I felt as the report came that the church leadership unanimously agreed upon and issued an invitation for us to come on staff as the associate pastors.
My childhood best friend had the best collection of Legos in town. I loved going to her house to create cities strategically fashioned from the colorful assortment of building blocks at my disposal. Each unique piece in the Lego box carried potential to be part of something big.
Jesus explained in Matthew 6:33, “But seek [aim at and strive after] first of all His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right], and then all these things taken together will be given you besides." (Amplified Bible)
How do believers today implement Matt. 6:33?
None of us are excused from the need to overcome wrong beliefs, thought patterns, and strongholds that have gripped our mind and emotions. As the verse at the opening of this article indicates, we are to work out our salvation.
We often think that when we encounter evil or deception it will be as obvious as Satan standing in front of us with a pitchfork in hand and horns on his head. But actually, the lies and deceit of the enemy, the world, and our own flesh will be more subtle than that.