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The Fullness of Our Inheritance in Christ Jesus

Feb 032012

A New Year should motivate us to seek God in new and fresh ways that would be pleasing to Him. Prayer is always the first and foremost way of seeking God as the Psalmist in 63:1 says, ‘O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You’. However, do we ever stop and consider we are able to seek Him because ‘We have obtained an inheritance according to His purpose to work all things according to the counsel of His will’ (Ephesians 1:11). This inheritance involves the greater gift of the Holy Spirit which is the ‘Spirit of Truth’ which Jesus assured His followers (John 14:17) would be in them always and would allow Him to manifest himself to them. It is through prayer that we can receive the richness of the ‘spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him’ (Ephesians 1:17). It is never anything of ourselves, but according to our adoption into the family of God, we receive the privilege to participate in the ‘good pleasure of His will’. (Ephesians 1:5). God desires ‘good things’ for all of us with an abundance of His presence which is all motivated by His love for us. How do we begin to understand this mystery?

The richness of this inheritance should bring us to our knees in prayer! We are strengthened in ‘the inner person by His Spirit and Christ dwells in our hearts through faith…to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge ; that we may be filled with all the fullness of God’ (Ephesians 3: 16-19). The fullness is the Holy Spirit which through Christ is ‘able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever’. (Ephesians 3:20) What a rich inheritance that can be passed on through prayer. The old saying, “Never under estimate the power of prayer (or a praying wife or mother)” is so true.

Recently, an old family bible was acquired which revealed references of a praying great grandmother and grandmother. The bible is a tangible reminder of an inheritance; however, there is little doubt that my faith is an inheritance from the fullness of the Holy Spirit working in their lives.

Take heed to the power in prayer that we have through the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Reflect upon the beauty of the fullness of our inheritance through Christ. “O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a beautiful inheritance”. (Psalm 16: 5-6)

Submitted by: Rhonda Mixon

Make a Stand

Devotions

Jan 302012

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13 NIV)

“After you have done everything, to stand”. I found myself pondering those words the other day. What does Paul mean by “after you have done everything”? According to the Henry commentary on this passage, “prayer must fasten all the parts of the armor”. What an interesting concept. How do you pray? I do not want to get too technical here because I believe that all forms of prayers are good. After all, we are to pray at all times (1 Thessalonians 5:17). If you are praying while driving I would recommend keeping your eyes open and your foot on the gas pedal or brake…. . That said, the issue at hand here is spiritual warfare. We are vain and sinful by nature. Our prayers can easily be vain as well. All I am asking is, what happens when you are kneeling? What happens to your spirit? I believe that when we kneel or even lay on our face, we remember our position and we remember to whom we are praying. It is in that position that we are to put on the armor of God. With humility we need to recognize that we are not strong enough and that we cannot fight alone. After we have recognized those facts and humbled ourselves, we “can stand”. Satan is cunning and will let you believe that you are good to go with the quick prayer you speed through as you are making the kid’s breakfast. Good, just not good enough.

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. (Luke 18:1 NIV) When times are hard, do not give up — pray. God is near and is working for you. When you do not know what to pray, write the words of Romans 8:26 on a sticky note and place it on your bathroom mirror. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. (Romans 8:26 NIV)

So remember to spend time on your knees, put on the armor, face the devil’s schemes, and make 2012 the year you will be victorious. After all, if our God is for us, what can stand against us? (Romans 8:31)

Muriel Gregory

Created to Praise

Prayer Points

Jan 282012

Psalm 150:6 says, “Let every thing that has breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

We are created to praise God. Some people do not realize that. When the praise service starts, they sit back and say, “I’m not comfortable with all that singing and dancing. I guess praise is just not my thing.”

Yes it is! According to God’s Word, if you breathe, you are meant to praise. And don’t try to slip by with saying, “Well, I have praise in my heart.” That is not enough. God’s Word says that you need to have it in your mouth as well (Psalm 34:1)! Psalm 132:9 says, “Let thy saints shout for joy.” You can’t shout and be quiet at the same time.

When you first begin to truly praise, it may seem awkward to you, but if you will keep it up, it will become a way of life. Why? Because praise causes the Glory of God to manifest itself in your life. It causes you to walk in the light of His countenance (Psalm 89:15). It will start a revival inside of you.

Did you know that every revival in history was started by people the world considered absolute fanatics? God does things differently than the world. So when you set aside your inhibitions and start letting God’s Holy Spirit to operate through you, you may look strange to some people but you will look wonderful to God.

By the way, don’t just think of praising Him in church. Praise Him in your own private prayer time and throughout your day. Learn to maintain an attitude of praise and thanksgiving. When praise comes natural to you in your own private life, it won’t be difficult to praise Him in the midst of the congregation.

It is time we opened our mouths and our hearts and do what God has created us to do. Praise!

Father, Teach us to be obedient to you. Teach us your ways to sing praises and to dance before you in that heavenly throne room of Grace. We will raise our banners high and know that we can reverse what Satan meant to keep Silent. Thank you Jesus, for allowing us to see that it is the enemy that does not want us to Praise you. For Satan knows that Praise is a powerful weapon. A weapon, he once used until he chose to leave your kingdom, through his pride. In Jesus name, Amen

Heading to the Front Lines

Prayer Points

Jan 212012

Listen to me, all you men of Israel! Do not be afraid as you go out to fight your enemies today! Do not lose heart, or panic, or tremble before them”, Deuteronomy 20:3.

Warrior of the King, you are not called to follow others. Rather, Christ has appointed you to lead others to Him. We need to step out to the front lines and fight for those that are too weak to fight for themselves. Don’t look back at what you have lost, but look forward to the great victories that the Lord has laid in front of you. Don’t hide behind your fears and insecurities. God can and will turn your insecurities into a passion to change the world around you. As you move to the front lines, hide his word and truth in your heart. It is not just for you but for the ones you are helping to fight.

Zechariah10:5 says, Together they will be like mighty warriors in battle trampling their enemy into the mud of the streets. They will fight because the Lord is with them, and they will put the enemy horsemen to shame. You are a chosen leader of the Lord! May fear never keep you from stepping out to the front line. I pray that the Lord will be your strength as you fight the good fight of faith. I pray in Jesus’ name, that you will have great peace as you prepare for battle. May your life be filled with Joy in the midst of every trial you face. May the Lord strengthen you and surround you with His angels in any and all of life challenges that you face. May your courage to step out in faith bring revival to your family and friends in Jesus name, A-men.

Warriors of the king, come on lets all prepare for the battle by putting on our armor and lets lock arms with one another. We will then press on for the victory that the Lord has in store for us. Greater is He that is in me (us) than he that is in the World. We are a conqueror. We have the victory. Praise the Lord, for the victory is one, A-men. (So be it)

Philippians 1:6

Prayer Points

Jan 162012

Being confident of this that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

What an awesome promise this is! We can be confident that Jesus will complete what He has started. Many times I have begun a project and have completed about half of that project and then decide to take a break for a while. That project may or may not ever be completed. (I’m almost certain I’m not alone in the “get –to- it- later” projects.

I have even begun the great thoughts for doing a wonderful project, but those thoughts and ideas never made it from my brain to my hands!

One project I recall was when a dear friend of mind and I decided to do a beautiful “American Flag” quilt together. Since she was a quilter and I was not, she would be my coach. Our children were about the same age, so they’d have a play-date and we would quilt. My friend finished her quilt long before I did. She even offered to finish mine for me! Eventually I finished before we moved. That project did get done and I was blessed by doing it.

I started that quilt hanging and set it aside for a while. I am so thankful that our Lord who began a good work in us does not set us aside for a while like we sometimes do our projects. He doesn’t just leave us to walk alone! He is always with us through each day, every step of the way, through the good and the bad. We can rest assure He has a plan for us. Jeremiah 29:11 says that He knows the plan He has for us. He will carry it out to completion!

Our Father in Heaven,

How mighty are your works! Thank you for the promise of your words and that you will not “quit” on us. Help us to walk with you each day and become more and more like you. Lord, may we be encouraged that you will finish what you began in us to the very end! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Submitted by Kathy Walls

No Fear

Prayer Points

Jan 152012

In Psalms 91:5-7, it says, “Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you”.

Wow! What a promise to stand on. That no matter what happens in life, as long as we are walking in the kingdom of light and in His presence, no evil of darkness can touch us. Amazing! We need that promise manifested in our lives these days with everything negative around us. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. Therefore we can claim to be a fearless princess. Gideon was a valiant warrior. God gave Gideon the strength to win his battle with the enemy and He will do the same for us. The only time something will overtake our hearts is when we take our eyes off of Jesus. He does not desire for us to be bound up in fear. He desires us to be at peace, to have power over the enemy and to walk in love and a sound mind. As long as we walk in His word and in His power we have nothing to be afraid of. No matter what things look like now, victory will always be ours. We are over comers in Christ Jesus.

I pray that you walk in the love of Christ, in which there is no fear. In His presence we walk as a daughter of the king. May you find confidence in your heavenly Father and your peace in His Son. I pray that you will fearlessly face and overcome any enemy in the name of Jesus. I pray that you will hold fast to this truth: nothing can come against you when you are safely in His arms. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Merry Christmas

Prayer Points

Dec 302011

I pray that you are all having a great Holiday season.

Isaiah 9:6 says, “For unto us a child is born, to us a child is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Nighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him, Emmanuel.”

These are words of promise out of the Old Testament. How much of that promise do we really hear and pay attention to? At Christmas we seem to concentrate on the child, the baby, the promise of a son and king who will take charge and run the world the way it should be run. This we see as the promise of the Messiah.

I think the more important part of the prophecy is the verse from Isaiah 7, that Matthew takes up as he introduces the Messiah. Matthew 1:22 says, “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet; ‘the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Ennanuel, which means, God with us.’”

The key word in all this is “Emmanuel.” God WITH us! Not just for the little while that Jesus was alive, but it is there in the promise and in the birth of the child, the Son of God. The promise is there at the crufifixion. The promise is there at the resurrection and a Pentecost. Most importantly the promise is here today with each and every one of us. It is the greatest promise we could ever imagine. God is with us in good and bad times, trials and tribulations, pain and pleasure, in everything that happens. GOD IS WITH US!

In prayer, we need to always remember that we are stretched at times to stand on faith to remember that God is with us no matter what is happening around us. He says that we are to seek Him and we shall find Him. He came to us in the flesh so that we could have His presence with us at all times. This Christmas season, I pray that you will know and remember that Christ our Lord is with us and He will never leave us nor forsake us.

I pray that the Lord will shine upon you during this Season of Joy in knowing His love for you and that He will always be with you.

Merry Christmas!
Jane Ahl

Christmas Prayer

Prayer Points

Dec 232011

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord Is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:26-33 NIV)

Nazareth was a quiet town where men attended to their daily work and women their households. If you were looking for excitement you would have to travel on down the road. No one really boasted about being from Nazareth. Remember Nathanael saying, ”Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Of course later Nathanael was a follower. Mary being from Nazareth did live a quiet life in a quiet town. Little did she know all of that was about to change. God had a plan, a perfect plan, and she was chosen to play a vital role in fulfilling God’s plan for our salvation.

Why Mary? Mary herself must have wondered, Why am I a “favored woman”? Why me? Of course the reasons she was chosen are known only to God, but it is clear that she was no random selection. Mary was an ordinary, small-town girl, obedient and courageous. From her song recorded in Luke 1:46-55, we know that she was a woman of Scripture, definitely a woman of faith. She was a virgin so that the glory of God might be miraculously demonstrated. Mary was also a peasant girl, in keeping with the humble nature of the Lord’s birth.

Yes, Mary was all these things. She honored and obeyed the will of her Father, providing his only Son a home from which he would grow up to become the savior of the world. The Child toddled behind her in his infancy. Then, in time, she followed behind him all the way to the cross and the tomb.

God sent the ultimate Christmas gift not just to Mary but to all of us and it was Mary who delivered the package.

Dear Lord,

We praise you for your gift of love, your Son Jesus Christ, who came to us as a baby many years ago. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

Prayer Points

Nov 252011

Oh I rejoice in the Lord. The Lord is mighty and He is Good! It is Thanksgiving. A time to Praise and give thanks to the almighty God for All that He has done. William Bradford proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving for the colonists. George Washington declare the Holiday in 1789. During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln, looking for ways to unite the nation, Thanksgiving Day was proclaimed the last Thursday in November in 1863.

I thank my God that we to this day have a right to stand and thank and praise and give honor to the one and only true God. Who loves us intimately and created us to praise Him. So many Psalms talk about praise and giving thanks. My favorite is Psalm 100:

Make a Joyful noise to the Lord all you lands! Serve the Lord with Gladness! come before his presence with singing! Know(perceive, recognize, and understand with approval) that the Lord is God! It is He who has made us, not we ourselves (and we are His)! We are his people and the sheep of His pasture, (Eph2:10) Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name! For the Lord is good; His mercy and loving-kindness and truth endure to all generations.

Friends, I pray that today you all will take time to worship our Lord and King. It says to not only come into the gate but come into the courts. Go to the inner court of your being and spring up that well that so desires to say “Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within Me!” We all have things to be thankful for. Even if you are going through a trial, He says to count is all Joy. Meaning that even if we are going through a valley, there is still reason to praise Him. Job did not give up. He continued to have faith in God. Continue to be thankful this season. Don’t allow the enemy to kill steel and destroy. Rise up and say, “I will praise and be thankful today!” So let’s rise up as a nation and give thanks to our God for all the things He has done and things that He will be doing for us in our lives. We serve a faithful God, a God that will never leave us nor forsake us. Yet how many times have we not been faithful to him or obeyed his ways. He is there saying, come on home. He loves to be intimate with you. Take time to worship with your loved ones.

Tomorrow we will start a new tradition in our Home. We are going to say things that we are thankful for every hour on the hour. To remember the things that the Lord has done in our lives. To have a continual attitude of praise throughout our day as we hang Christmas lights. Make a new tradition this year to come up higher to put our Lord First place in all things. May your day be filled with the Lord and all the blessings of our Heavenly Father that He has bestowed on you in your life time. Blessings my friends! Remember, Jesus is Lord. Always will be. Rejoice and be Glad!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jane Ahl

Give Thanks

Prayer Points

Nov 112011

Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)

It is a commonly known good behavior to say “thank you” when someone shows kindness to another. These two words are among the first words we teach our children to say. Usually it isn’t hard to say “thank you” when a service or gift is received or when things are just going well for us at the time. What does it mean, though, to give thanks in all circumstances?

Paul writes to the Thessalonians to encourage them and to give them instruction concerning godly living. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says to give thanks in all circumstances, and it’s even God’s will for us! As God’s children we should desire to please Him and do His will. Therefore, we need to give thanks in all circumstances even if we don’t feel like it. I think God knew we’d need to be reminded of this. Don’t you? Being thankful is healthy both spiritually and emotionally. When we are experiencing hard times and the storms of life seem overwhelming, it isn’t so easy to be thankful in all circumstances. God knew we’d have the valleys as well as the mountaintops. He provided a Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to be with us. He promised to never leave nor forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5) When we are wondering what to be thankful for in hard circumstances, we can be sure that God is with us through every minute of every day, His love is deeper than the sea, His mercies are never failing, He is our refuge and strength, and He is faithful forever. We must put our trust in God and give Him thanks knowing He will carry us and lift us up when we are weak. My godly mother who is with Jesus now always said, “Well, praise the Lord any how!” and “Blessings come through praise.” 1 Peter 5:7 says to cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. That is what we can be thankful for. We don’t have to carry those burdens. We can be thankful that He wants to carry the burdens for us, and we must trust Him to do exactly that. By doing so, we may find it easier to give thanks in all circumstances. Just knowing He is with us, that He knows all things, and His power is limitless in any and all circumstances is worth giving thanks to God! Let us be challenged to be in an attitude of gratitude in all our circumstances.

Our heavenly Father, we give you thanks for being with us in every circumstance that we face. Thank you for your powerful presence! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Submitted by: Kathy Walls

Older Entries

PWOC International Blog

The Fullness of Our Inheritance in Christ Jesus

Make a Stand

Created to Praise

Heading to the Front Lines

Philippians 1:6

No Fear

Merry Christmas

Christmas Prayer

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

Give Thanks

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