Moving Mountains Points 1 and 2
His faithful dog was constantly by his side. She died tragically last month and we are all heartbroken for this loss.
The day I wrote this post, I was out on our screened porch writing and the morning temps were in the 50's and there was a chill in the air. I wore a hoodie sweatshirt and a had blanket over my legs. After pouring into this first chapter for more than an hour I found myself glancing at my watch realizing I had places to go and people to see and the reality hits me...I probably won't spend a concentrated hour in prayer, but I should.
Already knowing concentrated prayer is where this study wants to take me I had failed to check in with God's plan first. I'd sent the grands first day of school prayers, face timed with one granddaughter, Instagrammed a grandson, and actually donned my inflatable shark costume to rush over and way good-bye to three grandsons off to school. Good things, but not seeking God things.
Later, I came home and unloaded a boatload of discontentment on my husband and headed off to Bible study, but there had been no "Here I am Jesus" prayer time.
Here are thoughts, verses, quotes and key points from the study time.
#1 God is Growing us up.
This will continue until we are united by our faith and by our understanding of the Son of God. Then we will be mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him. Ephesians 4:13
We are at different stages of maturing.
Children, I am writing you, because your sins have been forgiven in the name of Christ.
13 Parents, I am writing you, because you have known the one who was there from the beginning.
Young people, I am writing you, because you have defeated the evil one. 1 John 2:12-13
So come on, let’s leave the preschool finger painting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on “salvation by self-help” and turning in trust toward God; baptismal instructions; laying on of hands; resurrection of the dead; eternal judgment. God helping us, we’ll stay true to all that. But there’s so much more. Let’s get on with it! Hebrews 6:1-3 (MSG)
#2 We are at War
Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Matthew 10:16
Evil exists. We hear of horrific injustices when we turn on the news or read a tragic text. Think back to Herod killing all the baby boys, Hitler and the Jews, the African slave trade, and what we see so prevalent in the middle east.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12
Eldredge writes: "We have no idea what kind of breakthrough is actually possible until we learn to pray."
We need big faith prayers.
And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:14-20
The question for that morning was...Will I now go pray seeking God prayers? Yes, I did.
The Song
“Don’t Stop Praying” Matthew West
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpbZqMJ-B44
