Saturday, May 14, 2011

Let Time With God Take The Place of Worrying

Taken from Stormie Omarian’s Praying Through the Bible Book of Prayers

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” Luke 12:25

Dear God, I pray You would help me to stop worrying about things and start spending more time in Your presence, I know the time I waste by worrying is better used to pray and to hear Your voice speaking to my heart. You are my source of strength, hope, love, peace and rest and I want to be connected with You and not the things that concern me.

Read and Consider Luke 12: 22-34.

See Stormie’s Study Bible - Going Deeper thoughts below:

None of us can add a single moment to our lives by worrying. In fact, the opposite is probably more true; we actually lose life when we worry. We are wasting the time we spend worrying and we may be causing health problems that could ultimately shorten our lives.

Jesus tells us to refuse to worry because no matter what problems we have, He has already overcome them. “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). We can find freedom from anxiety just by spending time with Him. “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul” (Psalm 94:19).

When you are anxious, it means you aren’t trusting God to take care of you. But He will prove His faithfulness if you run to Him. “Do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (Luke 12:29-31).
God says we don’t need to be anxious about anything; we just need to pray about everything. So instead of worrying, actively bring your cares to Him, Prayer is not empty, powerless ,wishful thinking. It is a powerful connection with the One who is the source of our comfort, strength and hope. So take your worries about the future to the One who holds your future in his hands.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

What Do I Do Now Than I’m on My Knees?

Taken from The Power of a Praying Woman Bible by Stormie Omartian

I used Stormie Omartian’s Notes from the Heart as a portion of my devotional for the Dallas County Cowboy Church Women’s luncheon May 7, 2011. I pray that this prayer guide is as helpful for you as it has been for me - Ginger Lambert

Below are the steps for praying that Stormie Omartian suggests:

1. Tell God you are glad He is your heavenly Father. This establishes your relationship with God in the clearest of terms, because this is who God ultimately is to you.
2. Give God worship and praise.
3. Choose something that you are especially thankful for about God and tell him how grateful you are.
4. Give you day to the Lord. When you lift up your day before the Lord and put Him in charge of it, He will help you walk through it with great success.
5. Present yourself to the Lord. When you present your body as “living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” you are acknowledging your dependence upon Him physically as well as spiritually and emotionally. (Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to Good—this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1)
6. Confess your sins before God and ask him to help you live His way. (Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Psalm 139:23-24) 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
7. Ask God to help you speak only words that bring life. (May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14) Prepare your heart by filling it with God’s word.
8. Ask God for what you need. Tell the Lord whatever it is that you need.
9. Pray God’s will in your life. The more we ask God to keep us in His perfect will, the less chance we will end up outside of it.
10. Pray for other people and situations. List all who come to your mind. Pray for any situation that you know needs your prayers.


Note: All scriptures referenced are from the New International Version of the Bible.



Stormie’s suggested prayer following the 10 steps:
1. Lord, I come before you today and thank you that You are my heavenly Father.
2. Lord, I worship You for who You are and all that You have done. (Then Praise him for everything that comes to your mind.)
3. Lord, I thank You that you are more powerful than anything I face or any enemy that opposes me. (Choose another attribute of God you are especially thankful for today.)
4. Lord, I give my day to You and ask You to bless it in every way.
5. Lord, I present myself to You this day as a ‘living sacrifice’ and ask You to help me be a good steward of this temple of your Spirit.
6. Search Me, O 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. Help me to live in obedience to your ways.
7. Lord may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart always be acceptable in Your sight. Lord, may the words I say today bring life and truth to everyone who hears them. Lord put a monitor on my mouth so that every word proceeding from my lips is loving, truthful, kind, comforting, edifying, wise, encouraging and God-glorifying.
8. Lord, I ask You to meet all of my needs today. Specifically I ask for the following things....
9. Lord, may Your will be done in my life this day and every day.
10. Lord I pray for the following people.... In Jesus name I pray all these things.