WEEK ONE: Day 2..... The Blessing of Greater Faith

We're reading today from three passages...  I read them before starting the devotional today and suggest that you may want to as well.    They are: 

Matthew 7:7-8

New International Version (NIV)

Ask, Seek, Knock

    ⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

John 15:7-8

New International Version (NIV)

⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

1 John 5:14-15

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁴ This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

(It might be a good time right now to pray to God and ask Him to give you complete understanding of the scripture passages and ask God to show you something today through His Word for your life.  Please pray for me that I teach His Word and not my own.  Thank you! )

Hearing from God

1. An essential aspect of prayer is faith.   We must have faith when we pray that God does hear us and will answer our prayers.  These next two passages are about the images of David described by God.  Would you please write down what you see as the description?  Thank you!

•  Psalm 61:2
•  Psalm 62:6

   2.  An American car company advertises its trucks with the phrase "like a rock."  How has God been a   rock in your life?

  3.  We read now about Hannah who was a desperate woman who cried out to God.  Please read about her now in 1 Samuel 1.  Then would you please respond to the questions below?  Thank you!

    A.  What indications do you see that Hannah sought God with all her heart?

    B.  How did God respond to Hannah's prayer?

    C.  How did Hannah respond to God's gracious YES?

(At this point you might need to take a break now... stretch and breath in deep and let it out....  and come back when you are ready to do more!  Thanks!)

Here's some info. about how to stretch correctly... I really like this and want to share it with you.  You can skip by this if it doesn't interest you.   Thanks!

• Warm up your muscles slightly before you stretch them. Walk or do some other light aerobic exercise for a few minutes, and then start stretching.
• Ease yourself into the stretch, relax, and don't push or bounce. You should feel a stretch, but not pain, in the muscle.
• Exhale as you do the stretch. While you hold the stretch, inhale deeply.
• Try closing your eyes while you stretch. It helps you relax.
• Take a moment to enjoy the good, warm feeling that comes after a good stretch. 

Welcome back!  I hope that felt good to you ...  I love it!    As a matter of fact... we should stretch more often in the day...  whenever you are stressed, take this kind of stretch...  maybe teach it to your friends or family members.  

I want to share some facts about some important people (well, they are important to me!)

"John Wesley spent at least 2 hours each day in prayer!"  (Wow, that's amazing...  I would really need to take a lot of stretches during 2 hours...  I'm not able to do this at this time.  How about you?)

"Samuel Rutherford rose at 3am daily to wait upon God."  (Well this I actually do, it's more like 2 am but then I go to bed super early too to get my 7-8 hours of sleep.  I really don't expect that you would do this, but maybe set your alarm clock to get you up 15 mins. earlier to spend time with God.  And when that is good, try another 15 mins. earlier...  and see how you can adjust to that.   Thanks!)

"Alexander MacLaren owed his success 'to the habit, never broken of spending one hour a day' alone with God."   (Now this would be a great goal for you!)