God's Word.....

Guest post by Marion Smith

His Word: I have tried my best to find you—don’t let me wander off from your instructions. I have thought much about your words and stored them in my heart so that they would hold me back from sin. Psalm 119:10-11 (Living Bible)

Observation & Obedience: Recently I lost my wedding diamond.  My husband and I had gone on a weekend trip to Kentucky and on the day before we left for home, I looked down at my hand and noticed the stone and mount were gone.  Not just the tiny chips on my engagement band, but the main marquis cut diamond that I’d worn for thirty-seven years.  Talk about turning your hotel and car upside down!  I searched and searched for it to no avail.  It had simply fallen off and disappeared somewhere and I knew not where.  

As the wearer of my diamond, I thought about how I treated it and wondered if perhaps the cause of losing my treasured ring was because:

1. I took for granted that it would always be there.

2. I didn’t make sure it was in tact and secure

3. I sometimes was careless in the treatment of it, bumping it against other objects and getting it dirty

As I reflected on these reasons, God reminded me that His word is like a diamond, rare and priceless.  In order to keep from losing His precious gift to us, we need to spend time reading it, meditating on it, worshipping it, and making it a part of our heart, mind and soul. 

Psalm 119:10 says, “I have tried my best to find you.”  What is our best?  To me, it means putting Him first, giving Him the best of my mind when it is fresh and able to be renewed (whether that is in the morning or putting soft music on after having a bath and meditating on His word snuggled on the sofa at the end of the day).  

The scripture continues saying, “Don’t let me wander off from your instructions.”  When we choose not to read God’s word, eventually it wanders away from us.  It’s like someone who has learned to play the piano as a young child.  Perhaps they took years of lessons, but as they grew older they stopped playing because other interests became more important.  One day, they try to sit down at the piano to play a song and they discover that their fingers have forgotten which notes to play.

Psalm 119:11a says, “I have thought much about your words…” Do you think about God’s word?  When you read the Bible, do you take the time to really understand what you are reading?  Do you journal, use commentaries and study guides or other Christian material to help you immerse yourself in the wisdom God wants you to absorb? 

Psalm 119:11b ends by saying, “and stored them in my heart so they would hold me back from sin.”  How do you hold back sin?  By keeping in constant relationship with God by prayer, memorizing scripture, singing songs of praise to worship Him and enriching ourselves with jewels of wisdom from learning God’s word with others.  The more we grow, the more we flow with love and maturity in Christ.  The more mature we become, the deeper our communion with God.

Just like the parable of the woman who had ten silver coins and lost one, I encourage you to light your lamp, sweep your entire house (rid yourself of any distractions) and search carefully (God’s word) until you find it.  “And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.” Luke 16:9  

Prayer: “Lord, thank You for Your inspired word, for giving us a treasure that’s worth more than gold.  Thank You for being the Alpha and Omega, for providing the true bread that only satisfies.  Help us to yearn for You, to find You and keep our hearts secure in You, never taking You for granted, but staying close to You.  We love You, Lord.  In Your precious and holy name…so be it. “

Encouragement: Until God’s Word becomes a Picture that you can see, it cannot become a reality in which you can feature.– Benjamin Suulola

Written by: Marion Smith

As For God ...

His Word: As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.     Psalm 18:30

Observation & Obedience: David sang to the Lord the words of this song (Psalm 18) when God had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. Regardless of the danger and situation David found himself in, he continued to believe and proclaim that God’s ways and words were perfect and flawless.

Can we say and do the same when we are being pursued emotionally, psychologically and/or physically by an enemy who wants to destroy us? Do we look to ourselves or others to be the refuge and strength we desperately need? How was David able to boldly ask: For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God? (v.31)  

David’s strong faith came from his past experiences with God.  “As for his God….”, David knew that what God said in his Word he would do. The promises made would be kept. The protection needed would be provided. The strength desired would be supplied. The security sought after would be found.

David understood there was no one who could even begin to compare to God and referred to him as his Rock! He knew it was not his own strength that allowed him to defeat his most fiercest enemy; It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure (v.32).

When David was on the run from Saul and his army, he found himself having to physically navigate treacherous mountain terrain to find caves to hide in. He needed to have firm footing and a safe path; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights. You provide a broad path for my feet (vs. 33, 36a).

God didn’t just strike down David’s adversaries, although he could have. Instead he prepared and equipped him with the skills and strengths he needed to be victorious in battle. The years he spent as a shepherd prepared him for what he would face in the future. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze (v.34).

You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great (v.35). David acknowledged what and who had made him great; not himself, but his God. David praised God for delivering him from his enemies, especially King Saul.  Never once did he take credit for something God had done.

Are you running scared and in hiding from your (physical, emotional, spiritual) enemies? Are you depending on your own strength and strategy to defeat them? Are you finding your feet slipping because you’re attempting to make your own way of escape? Like David, perhaps you need to stop and recall your past experiences with God.

Prayer: Think about a time when God’s way ended up being far better than what you had planned? What promise from God do you cling to for strength and security? Whose path are you following and where is it taking you? What experiences have you had in your past that prepared you for where you are and what you’re encountering today?  Use these answers to sing your own praise back to God. You may be in the middle of your battle, but God has not abandoned you. His ways and his Word stands firm forever and he waits for you to seek refuge in him and be able to proclaim, like David, The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior! (v.46).

Encouragement: Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable and receives the impossible.   Corrie ten Boom

Watch And Pray

Guest Post by Joy Gruits

His Word:  Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.   Galatians 6:2 NIV

Observation and Obedience:  Their last supper together had been eaten.  Jesus had washed their feet.  The hours leading to his crucifixion were quickly passing.  The realization of what lay ahead overwhelmed him, so he withdrew to his place of prayer – the Garden of Gethsemane.  As Jesus reached the Garden, he turned to his disciples and said to them, My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me. (Matthew 26:38 NIV)

Just as Satan had tempted Adam and Eve “in the beginning,” Satan had tempted Jesus at the beginning of his ministry.  But this temptation was greater.  This temptation filled Jesus with such anguish that he sweat drops of blood – the temptation to avoid the Cross.  So Jesus went to Gethsemane to pray.  He needed strength to endure the Cross.  He needed the strength to say “Father, not my will but Your will.”  

In this most agonizing moment, Jesus asked his disciples James, John and Peter to “keep watch.”  Jesus asked them to keep alert and to pray.  But while Jesus was wrestling in prayer, the disciples fell asleep. When he (Jesus) rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.  (Luke 22:45 NIV)

Earlier that evening Jesus told the disciples how he would be taken from them, that their whirlwind adventure of ministry with Jesus was coming to end.  Jesus was leaving them, and they were exhausted with grief.  But because they allowed their sorrow to consume them, because they focused on how their lives would be affected, they failed to keep watch for Jesus.  They failed to be alert to his greater anguish.  They failed to minister to him with their prayers.  What a heartbreak for Jesus to see his disciples asleep in his hour of need.  

Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour? The disciples missed an opportunity to support Jesus at this critical moment in his life.  They failed to “watch and pray.” Yet, I cannot fault the disciples.  It is so easy to be exhausted by our own problems and concerns.

Deadlines to meet,

appointments to keep,

family issues to deal with, 

financial needs to contend with, 

even just the busyness of life can exhaust us, 

and so we fail to keep watch, to be alert to the anguish of others.  

As difficult as it is at times to take our eyes off of our own needs, the Lord wants us to be alert to the needs of others.  He wants us to intercede with prayer for them as fervently as we do for our own needs.  After all, the Apostle Paul exhorts us to: Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

And what is that law?  To love one another.  And, one important way we can show our love is to share the burdens of others with tears of intercession, with fervent and passionate prayer.  

Prayer: “Lord, let me demonstrate Your love in my life by being alert to the burdens of others.  Let me be moved with a compassion that inspires me to be as passionate in prayer for their needs as I am for my own.  Lord, as your disciple today, let me embrace wholeheartedly your Garden of Gethsemane request – to watch and pray. Amen.”

Encouragement: Our prayer must not be self-centered. It must arise not only because we feel our own need as a burden we must lay upon God, but also because we are so bound up in love for our fellow men that we feel their need as acutely as our own. To make intercession for men is the most powerful and practical way in which we can express our love for them.  John Calvin

Written by: Joy Gruits

Where's My Focus Gone?

His Word: I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! Isaiah 65:24 (NLT)

Observation and Obedience: That would be nice, to not have to beg God for what you think you need because He’s already provided what you really need and you recognize it as answered prayers. I want that! I NEED that! What do I have to do to get that kind of response, answer and attention? What would that look like and feel like?

This verse in Isaiah is describing what the new heaven and new earth will be like. This is a prophecy of things to come; an encouragement to press on, commit, stay the course, align your will with the Father’s because it will all be worth it.

So, does that mean we are doomed until Christ’s return to a life of begging and crying for God’s will be done, on earth as it is in heaven? Sort of. But on the other side of that is the encouragement to consider our heart’s cry; is it in harmony with the will of God? Are we seeking His face, His leading, His comfort, His plan with a clear and determined focus? Because, this verse also reveals that God is more ready to hear than we are to pray. While we’re still talking about our heart cry, He’s ready with the answer, with the blessing, with the solution. But who and what are we busy paying attention to? His still small voice or the dinging of the next e-mail or fb notification on our phone? (just a thought)

I had the opportunity and the privilege to spend 3 days in a beautiful spot on the coast of Maine photographing. It taught me something. I’m still unwrapping the lesson God has for me in the experience, but this is what I have gleaned so far. While I am photographing, my focus and attention is like no other. There is nothing else on my mind, no worries, no planning, no interruptions, nothing else is distracting me from the subject, how the light falls, the angle, the composition, the settings  that will help me to capture the beauty. I am that focused on what I am seeing through the lens.  And you know what? I have no concept of time. I’m focused on seeing the beauty. The same subject, at different times, in different lighting, from a different perspective still has beauty. 

I believe if I could transfer that focus, that attention, that determination to seeing the beauty no matter the situation, to my walk with God and my life in general there would be opportunity for God to answer before I asked. I would be inclined to be in harmony with His will because I would be that focused and available. I would be able to capture His light so I could share His light. If I could just focus each day, each situation, each person I come in contact with through the lens of Christ, what beauty and blessings would I experience. Maybe I’d even see the answer before it left my lips. My heart cry would be His heart cry.  

Prayer: Lord, this day, right now, open the eyes of my heart to see what you see. Help me to be inclined to your ways, your will and the still small voice that you speak with if I will just quiet my wants enough to hear you. Thank you for always being ready with the answer, the right answer for every situation. My heart cry is to see what’s going on in my world through the lens of Christ so that I can shine your light, reflect your heart’s cry, share your love and fulfill your purpose for my life until you return. Make it soon Lord, make it soon. Amen

Encouragement: When you seek My Face in response to My Love-call, both of us are blessed. This is a deep mystery, designed more for your enjoyment than for your understanding. I am not a dour God who discourages pleasure. I delight in your enjoyment of everything that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable. Think on these things and My Light in you will shine brighter day by day. Sarah Young ~ Jesus Calling

God Never Wastes A Hurt

His Word: O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. He (God) will be gracious if you ask for help. He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.  Isaiah 30:19 NLT

Observance and Obedience: Have you ever felt like your tears will never end; that no one hears your deepest cries? Here’s another promise from God that you can apply personally to your life. When we ask for his help, he will hear and respond! What it doesn’t say is that he will respond the way we have in mind. 

As much as we may feel we deserve a carefree life absent of conflict, verse 20a reminds us that: the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink. Adversity and suffering is a part of everyone’s life. Like food and water, it’s what makes us grow spiritually, what strengthens our faith and prepares us for God’s purposes.

Although God allows adversity and suffering, he has also promised to be with us, teach us and guide us during hard times. He will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes (v.20b). When we are hurting and struggling, we may not always want to learn. Sometimes we just want the pain and tears to stop. 

But it’s assuring to know that God never wastes a hurt and never misses an opportunity to teach us something we need to learn in order to live a more productive and purposeful life. Everything he allows to happen in our lives is for a reason; whether we understand it or not, he does and only he knows how it’s going to benefit us. 

So we have a choice: we can view adversity as a learning tool; knowing that it is from God and for our good OR we can view it as a punishment from an unloving God who only wants to make our lives miserable. Does this sound extreme? Perhaps, but we all know people who view suffering as something a loving God would never allow. 

God expects a lot from us, and many times following him can be painful; but he always acts out of his love for us.  And because of his love, he promises to be gracious when we ask for help. He promises to respond to the sound of our cries. He promises to be with us in good times and bad and he promises to teach us in order to strengthen us. 

When we choose to see adversity as a learning tool, we can count on another promise found in this passage: Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it” (v. 21). God always has our back and is always willing to guide us; we just have to be willing to listen and obey. 

The next time you go through a difficult time, try to appreciate the experience and grow from it, learning what God wants to teach you and listening to where he wants to lead you. He may be showing you his love by patiently walking with you through adversity.  Don’t let yourself bury and forget the trials in your life but use them as reminders of God’s promises and purposes. 

Prayer: Think back to a time when suffering was part of your daily life. What did you learn about God? What did God teach you about yourself? How are you using what you learned to help others who may be going through a similar struggle? Thank him for what you learned and how it strengthened your faith, and then put it to good use!

Encouragement: God’s plans for your life far exceed the circumstances of your day.  Louie Giglio

He Heard Me

Guest post by Marion Smith

His Word: I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me.  He freed me from all my fears.   Psalm 34:4 (NLT)

Observation & Obedience: Have you ever read the book, “Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage” by Alfred Lansing?  It is a true story about 28 sailors that sailed across the Continental Antarctica in 1915.  A few days into their voyage, their ship “Endurance” struck ice and slowly sank into the Waddell Sea.  Abandoning ship, the men were stranded on an ice floe for five months, living in isolation, dealing with unbelievable odds, frozen waters, frigid temperatures, frostbitten fingers as well as unbelievable FEAR.  The reoccurring lesson the book taught was to prepare for the voyage, utilize the resources you have, lean on your colleagues and NEVER give up.

Well, did you know that Psalm 34 was written when David feared?  Even though David had just experienced a Kairos moment from killing Goliath with a sling and a stone, had achieved fame and was destined to be Israel’s next king, David faced his greatest fear, the fear for his life as he ran from King Saul.  It was in the midst of this fearful circumstance that he had a choice, to rely on God or run.  Determining that his situation seemed insurmountable, David chose to run.  

Hiding in the enemy’s camp, he decided to pretend insanity and cower, which showed the enemy craziness instead of courage, powerlessness instead of position, and meekness instead of might.  But when David was at his lowest point, he cried, he prayed, he surrendered his heart.  And guess what?  The Almighty God answered.  He not only listened and heard young David’s plea, but He met him where he was and delivered him from his plight.  “I prayed to the Lord, and He heard me and freed me from all my fears,” David said.  

Have you ever been overcome by fear when your future looks bleak?  Do you feel like running away and wonder if God hears you when you’ve used up all your strength?  The message of encouragement for you today is to recognize your inner source of strength, utilize your resources and rely on the one and only true God.  Pray to Him who listens and cares – then praise Him with all your heart when He answers you, and tell people “He heard me.”

Prayer:  “Heavenly Father, sometimes I am afraid of the way my life is going.  I get my eyes off You and begin to doubt that You know what I need.  Help me, Father, to rely only on You, to trust You for every aspect of my life, even when my future seems dark.  Thank you, Jesus, for giving me Your word, for interceding on my behalf and for loving me enough to die on the cross for me.  I pray that You will give me strength when I am weak, courage when I am afraid, and perseverance regardless of my circumstances.  I love You, Lord.  Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.  I pray this in the powerful, holy name of Jesus.  Amen…so be it.”  

Encouragement: We don’t get to pick the age we will live in, and we don’t get to choose all the struggles we will face. Faithfulness is ours to choose; the shape of faithfulness is God to determine.    Kevin DeYoung

Written by: Marion Smith

I'm Done Fighting

His Word: They were helped in fighting them…..because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him.   I Chronicles 5:20

Observation & Obedience:  One thing we can count on is that God will always answer our prayers. It will be with a yes, no, not now or you’ve got to be kidding me!  Time and again, we see the children of Israel crying out to God. And time and again we see God hearing them, answering their request and coming to their rescue.

Verse 18 describes the soldiers: The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service; able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword; who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle. It sounds like the perfect combination to insure that these men could, and would, destroy their enemies. 

Do you notice when they cried out to God? It was during the battle. Perhaps they went into the conflict feeling pretty confident in themselves. Maybe they believed their strength was in their number and their training. Yet something must have happened in the middle of the fight for them to cry out to God for his help. God heard and he answered in a big way!

They not only defeated their enemies, they gained 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep and 2000 donkeys. They took 100,000 people captive and killed many others.  Did they do this with their own weapons and power? Was it possible because of their able bodies and ability? Not necessarily.  Verse 22a gives us the real answer why they won: …because the battle was God’s.  

I don’t know what battle you are fighting right now or how confident you feel in defeating your “enemies”; I can only speak for myself. And I’m saying, I’m done fighting a battle I have no control over.  I once thought I was strong enough to fight this enemy of cancer on my own. Being a veteran of this nonsense, I believed I knew what to do, what to think, what to say, how to feel, etc. 

That’s so not the case! I am in a battle with an enemy that is determined to destroy me. I have no control on what it does to my body. It’s not like heart disease or obesity where you can change your lifestyle and you are cured.  Sure, I can eat better, think positive thoughts, pray for healing, but in the end it is God’s battle to fight, and not mine. 

I have cried out to him in the middle of this battle. I know he hears my cries and I know he will answer. God will have the final say of when and where I am healed; here on earth or in heaven – but he will heal me. So have I given up? Not at all, but I have given up using my precious energy trying to beat something bigger and badder than me, and trusting God to do the fighting!

Instead, I am concentrating on living! I am determined to make the most of the energy I have to do the things I want to do, go places I want to go and be with people I want to be with. I try not to (not always easy) wonder and worry how this battle is going to end but rather live in the moment, taking control of what I can and being grateful for the blessings I have in this present moment.

Are you trying to fight a battle you have no control over? Do you trust God enough to let him handle it? Don’t waste your time and energy stressing over the outcome. Drop your weapons and cry out to God knowing that he hears and will answer in his time and in his way. Enjoy what is happening around you today; for tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us. 

Prayer:  “Dear God, thank you for the strength and comfort you provide for all of us fighting a nasty battle; whether it’s physical, financial, relational, emotional or spiritual. We can use so much of our energy trying to figure everything out when all you want us to do is trust you, get out of your way and let you fight for us. This battle is yours and the victory is yours, not mine. Help us all to be mindful of your promise in Exodus 14:14: The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.  I’m so done fighting!! Amen.”

Encouragement: Today will be what you make of it. Think well. Work hard. Stay focused. Enjoy it all and never give up!           Johnnie Moore

The Flip Side Of Freedom

Guest post by Denelle Surman Bryant

His Word: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 (NIV)

 Observation and Obedience: I’m a divorced single mother of two. I am free in every way. I enjoy all of the societal freedoms that were established for us by our forefathers. And, I am also free to watch whatever I want on TV. I am free to fold t-shirts inside-out, or not at all. I am free to serve breakfast for dinner, or meatless meals any day of the week. I am free to stay up late and eat loud, crunchy snack foods in bed. I am free to buy a house, and lease a car, on my own, consulting with no one. I am free to paint my walls whatever color I choose, and I’m free to take up every square inch of the closet. I am free to be spontaneous, make plans, change plans, and cancel plans, and come and go as I please. I am free to date whoever I want, and at the same time, I’m free to choose not to. I am free to raise my fatherless sons, my way. I am free to choose my battles and let certain things slide. I am free to lose my temper, and on occasion, my mind. I am free. I am without yokes, or chains. And I’m miserable.

When I first read Galatians 5:1, I read it romantically.

“Christ, has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened AGAIN by a yoke of slavery.”

Thank you very much Christ, and don’t you worry, no one in their right mind would go back to slavery after being set free! Right? Wrong.

Truth is, I’d give anything to be yoked in a partnership. The chains of life can be comforting and securing. To be tethered, and unable to go beyond where you can see…it’s safe. Routines, schedules, plans, goals, they’re what keep us grounded, and moving. Predictability, is a calming, wonderful phenomenon. But that’s not the type of freedom that life in Christ gives us. Not even close. The freedom he granted us, is so much bigger. He gives us the freedom to stay tethered to Him, and watch the trials of life be turned into triumph. To consult with Him, and wait on Him to move mountains in your favor. The freedom to place your life, your dreams, your desires in His hands, and be willing to lose it all for the promise of his His Plan being far greater than anything you could ever imagine. His freedom is a thrill ride, a gut-check, a test of strength. The strength of your faith.

Many among us do choose to retreat back to the yokes of slavery. They throw on the chain of an unhealthy relationship, because it’s better than being alone. (God never leaves us.) They remain shackled in jobs that are unfulfilling, because “it pays the bills”. (God designed you for a particular purpose.) They remain tethered to the bottle, the pill, the cigarette, because it numbs the pain. (God is a Healer.) They hold on to offenses and look for revenge. (God offers forgiveness and grace). And my personal weakness…I choose to retreat back to the prison of my own efforts, my own strength, my own way, even after tasting the AMAZING Freedom God has given me. (God’s impeccable timing and perfect plan.)

But hey, it’s a journey. We are all children. And we are all learning. The great part is, we are all together in it. Together to encourage, support, and motivate each other. My prayer is that we accept our freedoms and help each other fight the urge to retreat. Let’s choose to stay free, even on the flip side.

Prayer: Thank You Father, for all that You are and all that You offer to me when I stand with You, follow Your lead and live in the love that was poured out on the cross. Keep me tethered, keep me weak for your ways and your will. In Jesus Name, Amen

Encouragement: Dear past, thank you for your lessons. Dear future, I’m ready. Dear God, Thank YOU for another chance. 

Written and lived out loud by Denelle Surman Bryant

Jesus' Daredevil

His Word: “In Whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear)” (Ephesians 3:12 AMP).

Observation & Obedience: Are you a daredevil? Felix Baumgartner is. Once he climbed into the open hand of Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro and BASE jumped 95 feet, setting a world record (BASE jumping is done with a parachute from a fixed object).  He’s performed many other dauntless deeds, including skydiving from the stratosphere and breaking the sound barrier on his way down.

I can’t imagine me ever skydiving. I’m sure someone would have to shove me, screaming, out of the plane. While God doesn’t ask us to strap on a parachute and jump into thin air, sometimes we feel just as wobbly and unsure of ourselves coming to Him with our requests.

We meekly bow or kneel or prostrate ourselves on the floor, covering our soggy faces with despairing hands and sobbing out our pleas. Sometimes that is exactly the posture we should take, when we’re asking Him for forgiveness, patience, and understanding.

But today’s verse is full of big, audacious images: daring, boldness, courage, confidence, unreserved, freedom, fearless. 

In biblical times, the posture of standing before a ruler indicated a legal right to be there. Ephesians 3:6 names our legal qualifications to stand before Christ. We are fellow heirs, fellow members, and fellow partakers. We’ve got the back stage passes, we belong to the club, we’re V.I.P.’s, our inheritance is already deposited in the trust fund.

Ephesians goes on to name the treasures of our trust fund: unfathomable riches, powerful inner strength, deep roots of love, comprehension of the magnitude of Christ’s love, bursting with the fullness of God. All this is ours, now, for the asking. 

Do you feel confident enough to stand in prayer, raise your hands, and dauntlessly lay claim to what’s rightfully yours?  Most of the time, neither do I. 

Dr. Amy Cuddy, a Harvard professor, researched the hormonal effects of a power pose. She tested subjects after they stood with arms up in a “V”, the classic victory pose. She found increases in testosterone, the dominance hormone and low cortisol, the stress hormone. 

What Cuddy discovered, God designed into us. Biblical examples confirm the importance of standing in prayer. The Institute of Basic Life Principles recently posted an article listing three reasons we should stand in prayer.

1. It represents our position in Christ’s righteousness. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2).
2. It symbolizes our preparation for battle. “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:13).
3. It shows readiness to serve. Daniel and his companions were to serve the king after a period of preparation, “…that at the end thereof they might stand before the king” (Daniel 1:5).

The victory pose is a universal sign of confidence. Every runner crosses the finish line with arms up. Our Savior crossed His finish line with arms up in a “V” as He hung from the tree. There was never a more powerful moment in the history of mankind as the moment “It is finished” was pronounced on the cross.

 If you struggle to really feel as if you are a fellow heir, member, and partaker; try changing your pose in prayer. Confidently stand if you can, raise your hands in a “V” for victory. Dare to ask for what God longs to give you. As you raise your hands, matching Jesus, feel His boldness course through you. 

Prayer:  “Father, out of Your glorious riches will You strengthen me with power through Your Holy Spirit in my inner being? Allow Christ to dwell in my heart through faith. Root me and establish me in love, provide me with the insight and power to grasp just how wide and long and high and deep Christ’s love is. I want to know this love that surpasses knowledge so I can be filled up to the measure of all the fullness of God. Amen.”

Encouragement:  “Always act like you are wearing an invisible crown.” Anonymous

Written by: Deb Potts