Tag: spiritual growth

Aligning Ourselves with God’s Timing

Matthew 7:9
Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?

Prayer is an appointed means for obtaining what we need. We are commanded in the Holy Word to pray often and to be persistent in praying for our needs. Almighty God promises to hear our prayers in order to fulfill our needs in accordance with His will for our lives. If this were not so, then we would not be instructed to make praying a daily habit.

We may become frustrated when it seems that God is not answering our prayers. On the other hand, we have many examples in our daily lives that illustrate how “no” and “not now” are perfectly proper answers. As parents, one of our most important tasks is to train our children to become highly functioning adults. Thus, when our children reach the driving age and ask to start driving, we should be ready to take on the job of teaching them to drive. If, however, we know they are not mature enough to handle the responsibility of driving, our answer should be “no” or “not now”. While our commitment to them is to train them in new life skills, our more pressing commitment is to insure their protection when they are vulnerable.

While the Lord promises to hear and answer all of our prayers of need, His promises are bound by the higher covenant of preparing us for our eternal life in heaven with Him. So while He always hears our prayers, sometimes His answers will be “no” or “not now.” Each case will be determined by Him based on where we are on the path of sanctification and spiritual growth. He will answer us perfectly, in perfect timing in accordance with His will for our lives. He will apply the same principles in the lives of others when we are praying for what we perceive to be their needs.

Let us rebuke the need for immediate gratification in our lives. Let us learn the value of waiting on the Lord. As we wait, let us praise Him for His perfect answers and His perfect timing in all things.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for hearing and answering all of our prayers. We thank You that You often protect us by not giving us what we ask for when it will take us off the path that You have set aside for our lives. We pray for the strength to endure when Your “no” or Your “not now” seems so painful. We ask, Lord, that You help us to keep seeking You so that our prayers will come into alignment with Your will for our lives. We ask all these things in the name of our mighty and all sufficient provider, Jesus Christ.

Learning to Live in the Spirit

Galatians 5:24
And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

The works of the flesh are many and are manifest throughout the lives of all men and women. Unfortunately, there is much in the urgings of the flesh that seems attractive to pursue. If uncontested by the spirit, the affections and lusts of the flesh are the things that close the doors to heaven.

The endless pursuit of life in the flesh leads to a constant and unavoidable destiny that is certain to be deviant from the way, the truth and the life that is in Jesus Christ. Living in the flesh forms a path that is not compatible with maintaining a course of positive spiritual growth. Deterioration and destruction are inevitable.

Only by turning to Our Savior in order to pursue a life in the spirit, can we overcome the inherent flaws of our flesh. Only by focusing on our relationship with Our Savior, instead of ourselves, are we able to avoid destruction. Only by hanging on to the Cross of Our Savior are we able to put to death the desires of our flesh. Only by surrendering completely to the will of the Father will we find supernatural victory over the things that torment us.

Let us cling to the indwelling spirit of Our Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us claim our victories over the passions and desires of our flesh that were crucified with Him on the Cross. Let us celebrate the joy of living in the fullness of the presence of Our Lord.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for providing the sacrifice of Your Son so that we may live in the spirit and not in the flesh. We praise the name of Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life. We rejoice in knowing that we can overcome all the frailties of our flesh because of the victory that Jesus won for us on the Cross. We pray for the grace to maintain a constant focus on Our Savior so that we may be freed from the stirrings of the corrupt nature that remains in our flesh. Father, we seek the fullness of our lives in Christ so that we may bear much fruit for Your glory. We ask all these things in the name of Our Crucified King, Jesus Christ.

Freed From the Stirrings of the Flesh

Galatians 5:24
And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

The works of the flesh are many and are manifest throughout the lives of all men and women. Unfortunately, there is much in the urgings of the flesh that seems attractive to pursue. If uncontested by the spirit, the affections and lusts of the flesh are the things that close the doors to heaven.

The endless pursuit of life in the flesh leads to a constant and unavoidable destiny that is certain to be deviant from the way, the truth and the life that is in Jesus Christ. Living in the flesh forms a path that is not compatible with maintaining a course of positive spiritual growth. Deterioration and destruction are inevitable.

Only by turning to Our Savior in order to pursue a life in the spirit, can we overcome the inherent flaws of our flesh. Only by focusing on our relationship with Our Savior, instead of ourselves, are we able to avoid destruction. Only by hanging on to the Cross of Our Savior are we able to put to death the desires of our flesh. Only by surrendering completely to the will of the Father will we find supernatural victory over the things that torment us.

Let us cling to the indwelling spirit of Our Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us claim our victories over the passions and desires of our flesh that were crucified with Him on the Cross. Let us celebrate the joy of living in the fullness of the presence of Our Lord.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for providing the sacrifice of Your Son so that we may live in the spirit and not in the flesh. We praise the name of Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life. We rejoice in knowing that we can overcome all the frailties of our flesh because of the victory that Jesus won for us on the Cross. We pray for the grace to maintain a constant focus on Our Savior so that we may be freed from the stirrings of the corrupt nature that remains in our flesh. Father, we seek the fullness of our lives in Christ so that we may bear much fruit for Your glory. We ask all these things in the name of Our Crucified King, Jesus Christ.