Week 13 of 52 Prayers Faith is knowing that God is more interested in our character than in our comfort

Faith is knowing that God is more interested in our character than in our comfort - Lord, increase our faith

At the end of the Beatitudes Jesus said that blessed (which really means happy) are we when people revile us and persecute us and say all kinds of horrible things about us for His Name's sake, He goes on to say, "Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven"

That may seem strange to us. We want to be liked and found acceptable, yet if we are to be counted as Kingdom citizens we have to accept that the world may not like us, in fact they may revile us. That is uncomfortable for anyone. But Christ is more interested in the state of our heart than in the condition of our bodies or our reputation in the world, but we are encouraged that their will be rewards for our diligence through persecution.

The Apostle James goes on to say that we should "count it all joy" when we are faced with various trials because we know that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness, which in turn leads us to perfection in our faith. This is character building; becoming more like our Savior as we experience some of what He did.

That is Christ's real goal - our complete redemption and maturity in the faith. If that requires that we have to made uncomfortable so that we can be more like Him, then that is okay. We need to embrace all that our life in Christ requires of us if we are to live up to His good plans for us. He doesn't expect us to do it all in our own strength. He has give us is Holy Spirit that we might live life to the full as He uses our trials to transform us more and more into his Image.

Lord, we know that you are more interested our becoming like You than in our personal comfort - Lord increase our faith!

Week 11 of 52 Prayer's of Faith - Faith is Knowing God puts People and Situations in our life to help us become like Him

Faith is knowing that the circumstances and people God allows in our life help us to become more like Him - Lord increase our faith

By now this should be part of your routine. Read the prayer out load, pause, consider it and then ask "Lord, increase my Faith" Continue to repeat the prayer and ponder it as the week goes on; journaling your thoughts and impressions and as the Holy Spirit works in your heart.

Many people just want to live a peaceful life. They want to avoid confrontation, difficulties and worries. In some respects they would just like to be left alone. But God is unwilling to leave us in a sinful slothful state of being. He permits difficult situations and people into our lives to encourage us to seek Him and to give us opportunity to live out godly character.

Graham Cooke refers to those difficult people that God allows in our lives as "grace growers" Graham claims that the fruit of the spirit only grows in poor soil. It is in the daily struggles with our neighbors, fellow workers, peers and family that God gives us opportunity to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Graham goes on to say that if we try to get away from these people that He will, at great expense, fly in a whole new group of "grace growers" to ensure that we are being made more and more into His image.

My personal experience of this was when God put me between the two people that I disliked the most. In fact if you had asked me at the time how I felt about them I would have used the word "hate" to describe my feelings. It was only a few years after my conversion that God put me between these two men, but as soon as I realized my position, I recognized that hand of God at work in my life. So instead of fighting it and complaining about my situation, I embrace it. I was never more happy when that happened. I learned about the better side of these two men, and God gave me a heart for both of them, to pray for and encourage them. As a result my wife and I got to counsel and encourage one of them and to see him reunited with his estranged wife.

My prayer now when I encounter difficult people or circumstances is "Lord what do you want to teach me here?" As a result, every thing we face need not be something to be avoided or fought, but rather these people and circumstances are opportunities to see God move and to grow more and more into his Image.

Lord we thank You for the people and circumstances You put in our life because we know that You cause all things to work for the good of those called by your name and who love you. Lord increase our faith.

Week 9 of 52 - Faith is knowing that Jesus Christ is the one who baptizes us with fire and the Holy Spirit

Faith is knowing that Jesus Christ is the one who baptizes us with fire and the Holy Spirit -Lord increase our faith

Again I encourage you as you embrace this prayer of faith that you weigh it in your heart, meditate upon it and even journal it. Say it out load as our brains are stubborn, they only believe what they hear. Remember your expectation is that through this meditation that God will hear and answer your prayer.

This weeks prayer is important because it embraces the supernatural side of our faith. Some times we are temped to think of Christianity as merely a philosophy. On one side it is a philosophy in that it dictates how we view the world, but on the other side it is a supernatural, life altering encounter with The God of All Creation and He doesn't want to leave us unarmed, unaware or unprepared.

The Holy Spirit is important in that He resides in every believer. He empowers the believer to do more that is humanly possible. First the Holy Spirit is a seal that says we belong to God, second, it is the Holy Spirit that grants us gifts so that we can be a blessing the family of faith. All spiritual gifts serve to help others. They are not for our personal benefit outside tongues which in one manner edifies our own spirits. Another reason we need to be baptized in the Holy Spirit is so that are minds can be opened to the deep spiritual things of God that are revealed in the Bible and only available to those who are reborn. He reminds us off all that the Lord Jesus has taught us when we need it and the Holy Spirit works in both believers and pre-Christians by convicting us/them of sin and righteousness.

Lord, we thank you that You baptize us with your Holy Spirit and empower us to live the life You did. Lord, increase our faith.

Week 5 of 52 Prayers of Faith - The Holy Spirit

Faith is knowing Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit so that we might live for Him and by Him
Lord increase our faith

Before Christ left the earth, he promised that he would send us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit makes our faith super natural. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts us of sin and righteousness. He gives us supernatural gifts so that we can help one another. The Holy Spirit renews our spirit, helping us to become new creations empowered to live out the intent of The Law - Living in and walking in God's love. The Holy Spirit is also our counselor (The Paraclete). He advises us in moral choices and gives us the words to defend ourselves when accused for our faith. Christ has not left us alone, He is with us in the person of the Holy Spirit and we must take that on faith in order to receive the full benefit of that relationship.

Lord, we accept and believe that you sent us the Holy Spirit so that we can live for you and by you.
Lord Increase our Faith