Lord
Christian Meditations – What Does Prayer Have to Do With Christian Meditation?
Christian Meditations – What Does Prayer Have to Do With Christian Meditation?
How do Prayer and Meditation Relate to Each Other?
Christian meditation is time devoted to being in the presence of God and consuming God’s Word.
There are many forms of meditation and prayer is one of them.
In general, meditation on God’s Word primarily involves hearing from God and prayer is primarily about speaking to God.
Prayer is often defined as spiritual communion with God.
“Prayer is the most important tool for your mission in the world. People may refuse our love and message, but they are defenseless against our prayers.”
— Dr. Rick Warren
God’s desire is to have close fellowship with us, His children. And like all relationships that involves a commitment of time and two-way communication.
In His Presence Through Christian Prayer and Meditation
From the earliest of days, prayer has been an essential part of meditation for Christians. Those who practice a deep, contemplative form of prayer often speak of it as a sense of “being one with the Lord” or being consumed in God’s love. But they don’t necessarily think of it in terms of meditation.
We see in the scripture that the psalmist used meditation as an approach to God and prayed that the meditation of his heart be sweet (104:34) and acceptable to God (19:14). His meditation also led him to a deeper and greater understanding of God’s Word (Psalm 49:3).
Christians sometimes think of meditation as quiet prayer, a prayer without petition, since the Lord already knows our needs. (Matthew 6:8) This might involve prayer that includes biblical confession of God’s Word. Praying God’s Word is praying His will.
Spiritual Discipline of Christian Prayer and Meditation Taps Into the Supernatural of God
The practice of praying God’s Word is at the same time meditating His Word. The spiritual and physical discipline needed for regular prayer and meditation will soon become almost effortless with daily practice.
Eventually we notice a life of living deliberately in the presence of God always; throughout the waking day.
“What blessed excitements those have who are much alone with Christ!… Such a man never has a cold heart or a slack hand who is much in meditation with his Lord Jesus.”
— Charles H. Spurgeon
As we tap into the realm of the supernatural God provides, through prayer and meditation, we live a victorious life because we are connected to the life force and power of God.
Do yourself a favor: Be the success God created you to be. How? By daily staying consumed and tapped into His presence, power, and love through prayer and meditation in the Word of God!
God bless you always,
Brenda
God of Wonders – Third Day Christian Music Video
“God of Wonders” – Third Day Christian Music Video
“God of Wonders” by Third Day
“God of Wonders beyond our galaxy,
You are holy, yes You are holy,
The universe declares Your majesty,
You are holy, holy,
Lord of heaven and earth.
Early in the morning,
I will celebrate the light,
When I stumble in the darkness,
I will call Your name by night.
God of Wonders beyond our galaxy,
You are holy, yes You are holy,
The universe declares Your majesty,
You are holy, holy,
Lord of heaven and earth… Hallelujah!”
“For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”
— Exodus 20:11
“Hearken to this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wonderous works of God. Do you kow when God disposed them and caused the light of His cloud to shine? Do you know the balancings of the clouds, the wonderous works of Him which is perfect in knowledge?”
— Job 37:14-16
Enjoy this song by Third Day!
God bless you always –
Cheers,
Brenda
The Greatness of Our God – Hillsong Live Christian Music Video
The Greatness of Our God – Hillsong Live Christian Music Video
“The Greatness of Our God” Live by Hillsong
“Give me eyes to see more of who You are,
Make what I behold still my anxious heart,
Take what I have known and break it all apart,
For You my God, are Greater Still!
…I spent my life to know, and I’m far from close –
to knowing all You are, the Greatness of Our God!
Give me grace to see beyond this moment here,
to believe that there is nothing left to fear,
and that You alone are high above it all,
for You my God are Greater still!
…there is nothing that could ever separate us…
no words can say, no song convey –
the Greatness of Our God!”
“I will extol You, my God, O King; and I will bless Your name for ever and ever.
Every day will I bless You; and I will praise Your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall praise your works to another, and shall declare
Your mighty acts.
I will speak of the glorious honor of Your majesty, and of Your wonderous works… And I will declare Your greatness.
They shall abundantly utter the memory of Your great goodness,
and shall sing of Your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy…
The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works.
The Lord is near unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth…
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless His holy name for ever and ever.”
— Psalm 145: 1-8,17-18,21
Enjoy this beautiful song!
God bless you,
Brenda
P.S. “The Greatness of Our God” is from the Hillsong Live album “The Beautiful Exchange” which can be found on amazon.
Help Me! How on Earth Do I Know What God’s Purpose and Will is for My Life?
Help Me! How on Earth Do I Know What God’s Purpose and Will is for My Life?
Knowing God’s Will and God’s Purpose for Your Life
Who, at some point, hasn’t asked:
“What is God’s plan and purpose for my life?”
We sooner or later reach a time in life when we find our self questioning why we are here. We come to a point of knowing, deep inside, that there must be something more God would have for us to do with our lives.
Well, how can you know the will of God and what you should do with your life? Good question. And it all starts with the Word of God, since God’s Word is God’s will.
Knowing God’s General Will
The Bible teaches us how to live our lives. It is filled with instructions and directions and it reveals God’s general will for all of us. So, first and foremost, we need to get into God’s Word so that we can know what He wants from us. His Word is very powerful and will guide us.
Here are just a couple examples:
“Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” — Romans 12:1-2
“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
God’s will for man is not a hidden mystery. Anyone can open the Book and quickly see many things that God wants them to do (and not do). The chief aim and purpose of our lives should be to live according to His revealed will.
Knowing God’s Specific Will
Now you might be asking, “How do I know God’s specific plan for my life?” People often want God to tell them specifically what to do; like where to live, where to work, where to go to school, who to marry, etcetera.
Well, God can show us in many different ways. A loud, audible voice from heaven is not required, but listening to that still, small voice is. God has given us the Holy Spirit for guidance. The Spirit of truth is here to guide us into all truth. (John 16:13)
God can also direct us, through the events happening around us. And if we are already living daily according to God’s revealed will, decisions will be much clearer and easier to make. There is a peace that comes when we are pleasing God with our lives.
To get answers, we also need to pray and ask for God’s help and direction. When deciding between two options, the one that brings a greater peace is usually God’s will. Emotions sometimes create a false peace, but true peace will remain even after emotions fall.
Keep in mind: God allows us to make choices, but He is ultimately in control. We should trust Him always in faith that He will accomplish His will in our lives.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” — Proverbs 3:5-6
Plus, questions we should be asking are, “Am I doing this for me or for God? Is this what I want or what God wants?” The key is to desire to make choices that agree with God’s will. If a decision does not go against the Word of God, then we can follow our heart.
“It was the Lord who put it into my mind… I could feel His hand upon me… There is no question the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit because He comforted me with rays of marvelous illumination from the Holy Scriptures… No one should fear to undertake any task in the name of our Savior if it is just and if the intention is purely for His holy service.”
— Christopher Columbus (from his diary, in reference to his discovery of ‘the New World’)
Created with a Purpose
God does have great plans for your life! You were created by God, in His image, for a purpose. (Jeremiah 29:11) We have all been given unique gifts and talents. And just like our physical body is made up of many different parts, all unique, and all important to having a fully functioning body; so it is with the body of Christ.
Your gifts and talents have been given to you so you can be a blessing to the kingdom of God and make a positive contribution in life. So step out and act on the revealed knowledge you have already been given and use the talents you already have.
Then trust God to reveal more to you after you are faithful first in the little. Be confident that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion. (Philippians 1:6) God’s purpose for all is that He is glorified and the gospel and kingdom of God be advanced.
In Conclusion: The wise king Solomon tells us the conclusion of the whole matter and duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments. (Ecclesiastes 12:13) He also encourages us to enjoy life and be happy with our work. Keep the Word of God your foundation and watch His great plan revealed before your very eyes. God is for you and He will help you.
May you seek first the kingdom of God and live a life full of growing prosperity!
God bless you,
Brenda
Abundant Living – Do You Want Prosperity or the Empowerment to Prosper?
Abundant Living – Do You Want Prosperity or the Empowerment to Prosper?
The Blessing of the Lord it Maketh Rich!
Abundant living is the result of choosing to become empowered to prosper.
Many people are convinced that the prosperity of God translates to money and stuff raining down out of heaven.
However that is not the prosperity of God, but actually prosperity from God.
What’s the difference between prosperity and the empowerment to prosper?
Making the Choice that Results in Abundant Living!
In Proverbs 10:22, it says, “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich.” Notice it does not say the blessings make you rich; it is the blessing of God that is the key here.
What this means is that you want the empowerment to prosper and not just the prosperity itself. You don’t just want the fish; you want to learn how to fish.
When Abraham prospered, it wasn’t because God dropped down a camel or a son out of the sky. No, he was blessed because God empowered him to prosper. For example, he and his wife were given the ability to parent a child at an old age.
And the good news is that God has given you the ability to gain wealth and prosper.
Getting Empowered to Prosper
Power comes when believers put the principles of God’s Word to work in their life. It is your faith that will manifest results. Wisdom is also needed for you to understand and apply the Word of God in order to receive prosperity. Wisdom will help you realize the power available to you through your faith.
In order to experience prosperity, we must apply God’s principles by faith.
God is the one that does the multiplying and gives us the desires and ideas. He is the divine instructor that tells us what to do. And when we over, and over, apply the principles of the Word concerning prosperity, and make them part of our daily life, that’s when we start getting results.
Remember, prosperity doesn’t just drop in our lap. Re-enforcing the Word through daily meditation on prosperity principles should become a lifestyle. If we want to be a prosperous person tomorrow, we have to apply God’s principles of sowing and reaping in the difficult times of lack today.
Start with the faith you now have and then gain knowledge and wisdom concerning what the Word really says about finances. Act on that knowledge and mix your faith with it and you’ll soon start getting desirable results.
Make the following your regular confession:
“Today, I live in the blessing of God and I am empowered to prosper in every way!”
Keep in touch with God so you can be empowered to live an abundant life. Put yourself in position for God to empower you to prosper in everything you set your hands to do.
Then, when the economy takes a downturn or the storms of life blow through, you can say, “So What!” because you’ll know you are empowered to prosper. You can know God will take care of you, and will honor His Word by prospering the work of your hands.
Believe it or not: God wants you blessed and empowered to prosper. He’s looking for ways to bless you. He wants to help you out in life and give you good success. Go ahead and believe it, because that is a key factor in what it takes to get it.
May you live empowered to prosper and experience an abundant life of growing prosperity!
Be blessed to be a blessing –
God bless you,
Brenda
Happy Earth Day 2010
Happy Earth Day 2010
Thanking God for His Beautiful Creation of Planet Earth!
In an article at ChristianPost.com entitled
“Creation and Man“,
Chuck Colson says…
“…No doubt you’ll be seeing plenty of news coverage about rallies, marches, and activities associated with this major environmental commemoration…
Saving resources and money, ensuring our human habitat is clean and healthy, this is the stuff of good stewardship and common sense-things that especially we Christians should be known for. I say this knowing I’m going to get letters from concerned listeners…
After all, Christians are rightly concerned that extremists have turned Earth Day into ‘Worship-Earth Day’…
Our faith, our Christian worldview, tells us that the earth is good precisely because God created it and declared it good. It is worthy of our care, and indeed, we were commanded to tend it. Wasteful and immoderate use of natural resources is not a Christian virtue.
We must also realize that creation care begins with the care of the crown of creation: man, alone among living things, created in the image of God. In creating a clean sustainable environment, we do so primarily for humanity’s benefit…
Celebrate that God has created such a beautiful planet, populated by humans created in His own image, and that He has called us to tend His creation as His stewards.”
You can read the complete article “Creation and Man” by Chuck Colson at ChristianPost.com
Today is a great day to give thanks to God for His beautiful creation.
“The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof;
the world, and they that dwell therein.
For He has founded it upon the seas,
and established it upon the waters.Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD
Or who shall stand in His holy place?He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive the blessing from the LORD,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face.”
— Psalm 24:1-6
Happy Earth Day!
Have you thanked God yet today for all His blessings?
Cheers,
Brenda
Prayer for the Abundance of God! Free Christian Meditation Download
Prayer for the Abundance of God! Free Christian Meditation Download
Prayer for the Abundance of God and Freedom from Debt
“Thank you Father that you are
my Lord and my shepherd,
I do not want or have need in any area,
because You are blessing me.
You are the Almighty God, and You Lord can turn
not enough into more than enough,
insufficiency into sufficiency.
I am a doer of the Word, and I am being flooded with
supernatural overflow in my life like never before.
As You give unto me Lord, I give back and
I am a blessing everywhere I go. Lord God,
I thank You, that You are able to do exceedingly
abundantly above all that I can ask or imagine.
As I step out in faith on Your promises,
I thank You God, for Your breakthrough,
Your miracle-working power on my behalf
and I testify to how great You are Lord!
Thank you for these things, in Jesus’ name.
Amen.”
Download a FREE JPG image copy by right-clicking here and saving to your computer:
Prayer for the Abundance of God and Freedom from Debt
The references for this prayer come from Psalm 23, James 1:25, Genesis 12:2,
Ephesians 3:20, 2 Thessalonians 3:3.
God bless you,
Brenda
P.S. Fight financial hardship by taking your focus off the spirit of debt and lack and Putting Your Focus on the Abundance of God – do this by Meditating and Confessing the Word of God Daily!
P.P.S. The image background credits go to artist Billy Alexander.
Mark Schultz – Love Has Come – Music Video
Mark Schultz – Love Has Come – Music Video
“Love Has Come” – Music Video
Love has come.
Jesus already paid the price on the cross.
Every heart can now be set free.
And Jesus is going to return again. And there is coming a moment when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and God is Love. Everyone will see that God is love and He sent His love for us all!
Although one day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess (have to affirm, no one will be able to deny the truth) that Jesus Christ is Lord, only those who choose to put their faith in Him, in this life, will have an everlasting relationship with Him after death.
God’s people have much to be excited about!
“And being found in fashion as a man,
He humbled himself, and became obedient to death,
even the death of the cross.
Wherefore God also has highly exalted Him,
and given Him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
of things in heaven, and things in earth,
and things under the earth;
And that every tongue should confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
— Philippians 2:8-10
Enjoy this song!
God bless you –
Cheers,
Brenda
P.S. You can find the song “Love Has Come” by Mark Schultz on his album Come Alive at amazon.