Our love for God and each other will shine on our children and other peoples lives as we worship God in our conversations! We All can stand together in confidence in Jesus as He builds us all up together in Unity to bring Him continual Glory! We worship God in how we love Him and each other while uniting in prayer for one another. We need to sincerely love all people (Romans 12:9-10) the way Jesus loves because we live in a very Pride driven world! Pride divides relationships and God hates Pride! So we must stay away from from Pride as we come together praying for everything because Pride is sneaky! Romans 12:1-4 NIV, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.Humble Service in the Body of Christ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,
We are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses everywhere we go as we live our race set out before us! Each of us has a special and unique purpose for God’s Will to be done! We are not alone as we continue our race! However, we need to stand up for each other in prayer and confidence in Jesus! Let’s let go all that hinder us like fear and more as we chose to be humble in a prideful world! Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” Philippians 2:1-5 NIV, “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:”
We all need to be humble as God spiritually knits us all together in Unity in the body of Christ! As we go through growing pains, as we go through struggles and trials keep focusing on Jesus and don’t give up on doing good! Galatians 6:9-10 niv, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Struggles are hard but God uses them to grow us stronger for God’s purpose ahead! Our trials and stories will be testimonies meant to bring God Glory! Our stories in life are supposed to be shared and in these unique life stories, God shows Himself through relationship and praying friends! These details seem so small but they are so very important! Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 niv, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
In the story of Daniel, all of the wise men were going to be killed because no one could interpret the kings dream! This part struck me because of what Daniel chose to do next! We all have a choice in how we should react! We can chose not to follow the patterns of the world! We can chose to seek God first while fixing our eyes on Jesus! Daniel 2:12-16 NLT “The king was furious when he heard this, and he ordered that all the wise men of Babylon be executed. And because of the king’s decree, men were sent to find and kill Daniel and his friends. When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, came to kill them, Daniel handled the situation with wisdom and discretion. He asked Arioch, “Why has the king issued such a harsh decree?” So Arioch told him all that had happened. Daniel went at once to see the king and requested more time to tell the king what the dream meant.”
Daniel knew God could reveal the dream and He made a choice to continue to trust Him even when He hasn’t received the answer yet! He knew nothing is impossible with God! He chose unity under pressure and prayed with His friends because He knew two are better then one, they can help each other in everything they do and three can’t be easily broken! The enemy will flee!! He has no power! Revelation 12:10-12 NIV, “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah.For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore, rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”
Daniel prayed with his friends. He didn’t just lash out in anger saying this is not fair or worse! He used wisdom and discretion knowing this battle can’t be fought alone!Daniel 2:17-18 NLT, “Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon.”
With each battle we face through trials and struggles we can stand in confidence in Jesus! We come together as prayer warriors putting on the full armor God to fight the battles that are not against flesh and blood (people)! We need to chose to follow Jesus example ion how to love the way He does! Especially when conflict arises, we tend to look at the hurt we feel and attach it to the person! However, we need to look at each person the way Jesus does and look at their identity in Christ! They are God’s Masterpiece just like you are and me! We need to love them! An example of this is how Jesus loves the Samaritan women at the well! How can people know God’s love if we look and treat them the way the world does! Jesus knows the heart and even if outward change in a person’s life hasn’t happened yet, it doesn’t mean rapid change isn’t happening on the inside! God see’s our heart and we should focus on this too!
We are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses and God set up divine appointments for each of us! God knows just what we need and will bring people in your day to help us as we unite together in prayer and worship Him in our conversations! We help each other align our lives up to what scripture says so we can think clearly! 1 Peter 4:7-8 NIV, “The time is near when all things will end. So think clearly and control yourselves so you will be able to pray. Most importantly, love each other deeply, because love will cause many sins to be forgiven.” We need to think clearly so we can pray! We have to be careful what we meditate on with all the distractions and social media! This can cause our emotions to cloud what we see and hear! Fear and anxiety can take hold like a sudden storm in the night! Sadness, confusion, anger can grip you like a lightning strikes! We can get lost in meditating on our situation or problem! Then be consumed by how we feel which will cause us not to see or hear clearly what God wants us to do! We need to go to God first in everything we do! We need to take each thought captive and make it obedient to Christ as we face each challenge! So, instead of fear of death and what human authority could do to all the wise men including Daniel, he brought the problem to God! The problem was in darkness but now it’s in the light! The enemy wants us to keep our problems to ourselves which will keep them in darkness! When we chose to be humble, by humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God, we bring everything in the light by sharing our struggles! By seeking God in all of our circumstances by living in the light, we will be able to think clearly and pray! We will be sober minded! God says to be sober minded because the enemy is prowling around looking for someone to devour! When we are full of fear and anxiety mixed with anger, we don’t have a sober mind! When we seek God in all circumstances, we are talking to him about our feeling as he guides us through them! Then you will have Peace from God! Philippians 4:6-9 NIV, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Praying together is so important as we face life challenges everywhere we go! We must stay humble and allow God to search our heart! Psalms 139:23-24 NIV “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” When we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, He will lift us up! 1 Peter 5:6-7 NIV, “humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” We need to be humble and allow God to search the secrets of the heart! God is the one who reveals to us what is offensive in us! We can’t do this on our own!
“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come the salvation
and the power and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death.
Therefore, rejoice, you heavens
and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea,
because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury,
because he knows that his time is short.”
Revelation 22:16-21 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.”Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.
