Perspective, on my knees!

Blessings to you today. I have been pondering the depth of perception we have in relation to our place in prayer.

Do you find your perspective changes when you are on your knees?

Do you see things differently at a new angle?

Do you like what you see?

I was reading this post that I saved from the Proverbs 31 Blog. http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/2010/07/when-im-on-my-knees It goes along well with some of the thoughts I have had on the position we find ourselves in while praying.

When I am on my knees my head is often bowed before my King. My heart is humbled and my hands are open.

When I am on my knees I am seeking His heart, His plan and His purpose.

When I am on my knees I am looking to the fullness of His grace and sufficiency, not my own.

Where are my thoughts when I have my sights lifted elsewhere?


The problems of every day life threaten to close me in, but on my knees I cast every care away. ( 2 Peter 5:7)

The burdens of hurts are a weight my own shoulders can not bear, but on my knees my Lord reminds me to exchange my burdens for his. (Matthew 11:30)

The stain of my sin is a shame that colors my view of grace, but on my knees I am reminded that nothing separates me from His love.( Romans 8:38-39)

When I am on my knees, I am stationary no longer working to secure the answer.

When I am on my knees, I am quiet to the world and eager to hear His sweet voice.

When I am on my knees, I am abandoned to reality of facts and embrace the fullness of His truth.

When I am on my knees, I see my King raised up upon His throne, in complete and utter control, smiling down at me.

My blessed friends, our vision changes on our knees. Practically we get a glimpse of things we can NOT see while upright and busy. Are bruised knees as sign of submission or strength? Or both? :)

Don't limit your ability in prayer, just because of your elevation~

Elevate the only one whose power and ability is limitless, He is made perfect in our weakness, and remember all knees will one day bow before him.

Practicing the Presence of God

I wanted to mention a resource that I think is a basic essential to those who want to draw closer to the Lord. Obviously.. the Bible is the most important book we can immerse ourself into. However, that said.. I think there are some amazing books that have been written through the years which stand alone for time immemorial.


One such book is called.. "The Practice of the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence. http://www.amazon.com/Practice-Presence-God-Brother-Lawrence/dp/0800785991

You can find the text written here : http://housechurch.org/spirituality/brother_lawrence.html

This book is significant to me because in a person's search for intimacy with God there has to be a keen awareness of HIM. There must be a true acknowledgement that we are acutely aware of His closeness in every situation and every circumstance of our life...every second of our day, every breath we take. It is that real.

The key here is that when you recognize this.. life is NEVER the same. Just as life is never the same when you have received the new birth.. the gift of salvation and God's grace in your life, so also will you change as you step closer to him in the realization that He is in as much as you let him and always in the middle of everything. Think about it.

This is where there was a clear awakening in my own spirit to not miss one moment with him. There are times when I choose to ignore Him and in doing that I have missed the blessing. That is grievous to me when I realize how that must have hurt Him, but in His amazing grace and mercy He allows me to come to Him, even after I have chosen something over time with Him.

When you begin to "Practice His Presence" your eyes are opened to the enormity of life with God rather than a life that merely acknowledges Him. It causes your prayer time to be a time of power and growth. When you practice being in his presence continually you come to recognize His sweet voice and it is almost overwhelming. The God of Creation, Father of Glory, El Elyon is speaking to you.. However, it is nothing new.. He has been doing it all along the difference is the place where you heart is and the attention you have been giving to hearing, seeking and knowing Him.

There is an article I found where another believer shares about their journey in Practicing the Presence of God. http://net-burst.net/pray/practice_presence_god.htm

I just want to encourage you to open your heart and open your eyes and ears to what He has for you today. Prepare the way for Him and make straight paths that He may come in and do a new work in your heart and make you the vessel He destined you to be !
( Mark 1:3, Matthew 3:3, Luke 3:4 and Isaiah 40:3)


Be blessed!
Dawn

Press IN Prayer

Here is installment 2 in my series on prayer. I want to share one thought to consider before I include the lesson on prayer:

The answers we receive in prayer are in essence the fringe benefits of spending time of unmitigated prayer before the throne. This phrase has been a constant companion in my time of meditation. I'll share more as the time becomes available but let me just state this, unmitigated means not diminished or moderated in intensity or severity; absolute. Prayer is a form of worship. It is adoration to Adonai who is able to take care of every need in exceeding abundance.



Here are a few definitions of Pray and Prayer that I wanted to share with you from my own study. You will find with me, that words are huge. I love them. I love weaving them together to create. Words are full of so much and often times we don't realize the effect our words have or the connotation they represent.

So.. if we go to the Greek and Hebrew Roots of the words Pray and Prayer we come up with the following.

In the Old Testament the most common form of the verb - to pray - is palal ~ meaning to interceed. You can find this word used in 1 Samuel 12:23

The most common noun form of prayer is tepillah ~ meaning to make a request, intercession, supplication or set to music as an implication of a hymn. This word is used in 1 Kings 8:28,and Habbakuk 3:1. You will also find this word in the titles of 5 Psalms ( 17,86,90,102,142) And.. it is written at least once in each of the following Psalms.(4,5,6,17,35,39,42,54,55,61,64,65,66,69,72,80,84,86,88,90,102,109,141,142,143)

Because the New Testament was primarily written in Greek you can find the word roots listing in a Greek

In the verb we have

1.euchomai ~ meaning to wish; by implication to pray to God - pray wish, will.
You can find this word translated into prayer in the following scriptures 1 Cor 13:7,9; James 5:16, 3 John 3, Acts 26:29, Acts 27:29, Romans 9:3

2. Proseuchomai ~ meaning to pray, it is always used of prayer to God. It is the most frequent word used in this respect especially in the Synoptic Gospels and Acts.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synoptic_Gospels) - the Synoptic Gospels are Matthew, Mark and Luke. See link for more.
Proseuchomai is also used in Rom 8:36, Ephesians 6:18, Phil 1:9, 1 Tim 2:6, Hebrews 13:8, Jude 5:20 and 1 Thessalonians 5:17

As a Noun in the New Testament you will find the word prayer comes from 3 greek words in translation.

1. euche -~ meaning a prayer. James 5:15 and a vow in Acts18:18 and 21:23

2. Proseuche ~ meaning a prayer TO God. Matthew 21:22, Luke 6:12
as an objective term rather than subjective. - James 5:17.
Proseuche is also used as means of praying with prayer.. this would be indicative to the Hebraic forms of chants or prayers.. using scripture..psalms if you will to pray. Look at Ephesians 6:18, Phil 4:6, 1 Tim 2:1 and 5:5


Porseuche is also consider a place of prayer as in Acts 16:13,16.

3. Deesis - primarily a wanting or a need - then asking, an entreaty, supplication. Here it is often in the objective form.. being addressed to.
- a petition, prayer, request, or supplication

Referenced in the following scriptures:
Luke 1:13, 2:37, 5:33; Romans 10:1; 2 Cor 1:11, 9:14; Philippians 1:4, 19; 2 Tim 1:13; Hebrews 5:7; James 5:16; 1 Peter 3:12


I will post more on the definitions and scriptures for Intercession and prayer when I have time and then try to tie the 2 together.

When thinking of prayer focus on some of these questions in your journal.

How has prayer affected your life?
How much time do you devote to prayer?
Do you have a "prayer closet"?
Do you recognize his small still voice when he calls you to pray and interceed for others?

Remember prayer is intimacy with your Heavenly Father. Just to go back to the word.. what is intimacy? Intimacy is the state of being intimate, or familiar. It is getting to really know the heart of God.

Consider that David was a man after God's own heart and he penned many of the Psalms we have in our Bibles. He was a worshipper. Look at John 4:23-24. A great way to know His heart.. of course is spending time in the word but what a joyous time to spend it in the Psalms. I've referenced above that 5 of the 150 titles of Psalms have the word "tepillah" as the title, which means making a prayer request through music or hymns. Find a psalm that really touches your heart and commit it to memory. One I have committed to memory is Psalm 91 and when fear tempts to raise it's ugly head I combat it with the Word.. especially those written in Psalm 91.

I want to plant a seed here at the end. As we go forward in the things of God we can often expect that there will be adversity. Remember that as a born again believer, we have the ability to stand under the blood of Christ and No weapon formed against you shall prosper. ( Isaiah 54:17) Use the Word of God as your ultimate tool to combat the enemy in your life. Read Ephesians 6:10-18. The Word of God is the Sword you carry. Your armor has to be balanced so you need to use it all equally, but what I am trying to point out is that the sword of the spirit ( the 2-edged sword which is the word of God) cuts in two every attack of the evil one. And lastly, remember your fight is NOT with flesh and blood but with principalities, powers and spiritual wickedness in high places. ( 2 Cor. 10: 3-5)

Blessings to all!
Press IN in prayer!
Dawn

Praying for Eternity

The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:18 " While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."

The words in the Greek text help illustrate the meaning of what "to look" means. In fact, There are 2 verbs meaning to see or to look at in that same verse, skopounton- while looking at with the word not placed before it; blepomena-meaning seen, or to look at). One is describing the act of looking at something while not seeing it. Blepomena is to look at, and the act of being seen.

I find it interesting that the translation for temporal and eternal are also very descriptive in the Greek. Temporal comes from the greek word proskaira- meaning temporal or in season. Eternal in this passage is translated from the greek word aionia- meaning agelong, eternal. Both words are descriptive adjectives from the nominative plural declension. ( They name the subject). The subject is the "seen things".

Ok.. so this little greek lesson I have traveled down is primarily for myself in understanding more of the meaning of God's Word. I believe that we have the right, almost as in imperative command from scripture to seek His Word and find the meaning of what is written.

Lately, the Lord has been convicting my heart regarding the depth of my words. He spoke this world and all we see into creation with Words. His Words, his living and powerful words. ( Hebrews 4:12) And we are his emissaries in this world to bring forth the blessings of heaven.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to pray continually.

Jesus is our role model where prayer is concerned. Where everything is concerned, in truth. Hebrews 8:1, 7-25 reminds us that we have a High Priest who is able to save those who come to God through him and He always lives to interceed for us. His intercession is continual.

He answered trials with the Word of God. When He was tempted He returned in answer with the Word of God. As I meditate on these I realize I can and never should do any less. Of course, I can do none of this apart from God. It is Christ living in me who is capable.

Do you believe you are an intercessor? Do you believe that you are called to interceed? If Jesus is our role model, is there any question?

Andrew Murray wrote the following quote in his book Stand in the Gap. He writes, "Let continual intercession be your highest aim, joy and experience of wonderful fellowship with the Holy God."

Intercession is just as much for you, for the gifts placed within you as it is for God.

It is the prayers of the saints which move the hands and heart of God. He is sovereign. He alone is Holy. He alone is the only truth that exists which is not subjective to elements, theology or reason. Yet, as His workmen.... as His hands and feet, it is in a continual spirit of divine intercession which the glory of heaven can be pulled into this earthly realm. In Matthew, chapter 6 ,when Jesus was teaching the disciples to pray He instructed them to pray these words. "Thy Kingdom come and thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven".

There is a grace in this life for our "human~ness", but we are not ill-equipped to be possessors of the Kingdom of Glory. When we bow our heads, bend our knees and prostrate our hearts before the King of Glory we are pushing into boundaries that break natural reason. I believe it pleases God when we push in. (Hebrews 11:6) I believe He is emphatically delirious when we invade heaven's gates and take hold of the blessings already waiting and ready for us.( 2 Cor 1:20) Not just for us, for everyone who is in need of a touch from heaven.

Are you praying for eternity? Are you pushing in to the fold and reaching into the glory of God's heavenly blessings? You can.

Let your words be words of faith. Let your prayers be prayers of faith, intercession and boldness. Hebrews 4:16.. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

I believe, with all my heart, that I was prayed into the Kingdom of God. I have had the privilege of knowing one of the precious saints who purposed to put me before the Lord continuously. Revelations 8:3 says " Another angel came.. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all saints, on the golden altar before the throne." I can do no less that to be a intentional prayer-er and heed the voice of the Lord when He calls me to interceed and pray.

"Stand in the Gap.. and realize your holy calling as an intercessor! Pray Continually " ~ Andrew Murray.

Back to the first scripture.. Look not at the things you see here, on this side of glory. Look into eternity.. Pray the in the eternal value, change the seen things, those things for this season, of temporary time weight, and pray in the eternal things.. ageless - agelong truths that carry a weight which knows no bounds.

Blessings in Jesus!