She Reads Truth - Prayer in the Bible Day 8

Prayer in the Bible Day 8: Prayers of Petition

Day 8 Scripture: Luke 11:5-13, Matthew 7:7-11, Luke 22:39-44, James 5:13-18

Prayers of petition are the most common prayers we make. Prayers of petition are those that are more about what we want or need, demands for guidance, prayers for help, or prayers said as a group. God created us to come to Him with our problems and requests for help and he always listens to these types of prayers.

God doesn't always answer are prayers in the way we want. I read a quote somewhere that said "when things are falling apart, the pieces might be falling into place." this is how God answers are prayers of petition sometimes. When we ask God for something we need be open to the idea that you might receive something different that you expect.

From my journal:

"Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." - Luke 22:42

God knows all and has already seen where we will go in life. When we ask for something or want to make a big decision / change in our life we should pray to God with what we want and ask God to share with us what his will is.

"Keep on asking and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking and you will find. Keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you." - Luke 11:9

If we are suffering, happy, ill or in need we should earnestly pray. Prayers offered in faith will have power. Pray, sing praises and have a close communication and relationship with God. 

She Reads Truth - Prayer In the Bible Day 7

Prayer in the Bible Day 7: Reflection

Today is a day to reflect on you and what we have learned in this study so far. Take some quiet time today to meditate and memorize. Let the truth of God's word grow in our hearts.

"So remember this and keep in firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other." - Deuteronomy 4:39

"But we know that there is only one God, the Father, who created everything, we live for him." - 1 Corinthians 8:6

"Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path." - Psalm 119:105

She Reads Truth - Prayer in the Bible Day 6

Prayer in the Bible Day 6: Practicing 
Confession and Repentance

Day 6 Scripture: Psalm 51:1-12

Just like an skill that we learn we must practice. Start by reading today's scripture and then write down a couple prayers of confession and repentance. 

Here are some prompts to get you started:

- Who have I injured? What action caused this hurt?

- When have I put myself, others, or other things before God?

- Ask God to show you any un-confessed sins.

- Reflect on your day and go to God with your sins of the day.

Make sure to ask for forgiveness (freedom) from the guilt and for guidance to do better.

"Have mercy on my O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out my sins, wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin for I recognize my sin, it haunts me day and night." - Psalm 51:1-3

She Reads Truth - Prayer in the Bible Day 5

Prayer in the Bible Day 5: Confession & Repentance

Day 5 Scripture: Luke 15:11-32 The Parable of the Lost Son

The thing about sinning, confessing, and repenting is that we first have to be honest with ourselves that we have done something against God and our beliefs. Once we have been honest with ourselves that this is something we didn't mean or want to do and we are not happy with the what we have done we must then go to God and those affected by our sin. We can't go to God with some preconceived thought of how God will respond or with an expectation of what restoration might look like. Confession and Repentance is very simple we have to take our offending sin to God, be honest and genuinely repent and want to do better. 

No matter the sin or how long you turn away from God He will always gladly welcome you Home.

From my journal:
It's such a reassuring thought that God will always celebrate our return home, but the going home can sometimes be so hard. It took me almost 13 years to get back to God, and I struggled a lot in these years with other sins and brokenness. I was face down in my sin and the devil made me feel unworthy of God's forgiveness and love. It took having my second daughter to forgive myself and not think about what God was going to do. I finally stepped out of the dark and turned to God. Nothing really happened at first, but I continued to pray and pray! I started to feel God with me and have the confidence that only He can bring. My life started to fall into place and I felt happy and peaceful. There are still days when nothing goes right, I yell at my kids, or I'm selfish but my life is in such a better place having a relationship with God. 

"He was dead and has come back to life."

"He was lost and now he is found."

She Reads Truth - Prayer in the Bible Day 4

Prayer in the Bible Day 4: Confession and Repentance

Day 4 Scripture: Psalm 32:1-7

The best thing about the crucifixion is how we were all born again free from sin. But then what? We as humans began to sin again. We cannot take our sin and hide from God. We cannot sit quietly and tune out what the spirit has to say.

This is the place that the devil likes us to be. Alone and away from God swimming in our sin and guilt. He will lie to us so that we stay in this dark and lonely place.

But God will always forgive us. We have to be accountable with God, be honest, and try to fix what we have done, heal those we have hurt, and correct the damage we have done.

From my journal:
The Psalm of David teaches us that the longer we hide our sin the worst we feel. We have to give this sin and guilt over to God and allow his forgiveness to rain down on us. We cannot dwell in the pain after we have repented we have to heal. Do not "drown in the floodwaters of judgement."Psalm 32:7
God Forgives All

How was everyone's weekend? Our family had a great time enjoying the weather, playing outside and making homemade ice cream (our favorite). Hope you have a great week and continue to follow along with great series.

Mother's Day Wish List

As something fun for the weekend I used Polyvore.com to make a board of all the items that I'm wishing for this Mother's Day. I never really make lists of the things I want, and these are items that I would never buy myself.

What are you wishing for this Mother's Day?

Wish List by lindsy-mclaughlin featuring a panasonic bread machine

Juicy Couture perfume fragrance
target.com

Laura Mercier body cleanser
$54 - harrods.com

Blue Nile white gold stud earrings
bluenile.com

Coin pouch
overstock.com

Christian Louboutin platform shoes
christianlouboutin.com

Ceramic sculpture
artfulhome.com

Geo Glow Lantern
anthropologie.com

Breadman panasonic bread machine
target.com

Imm Living antler jewelry stand
purehome.com

LSA International glass serveware
$34 - oliverbonas.com

She Reads Truth - Prayer in the Bible Day 3

Prayer in the Bible Day 3 - Practicing Praise

Day 3 Scripture: Psalm 8, 1 Chronicles 16:7-36, Psalm 100

Everything done right requires practice. We have to practice to say thank you to God. First we have to ask ourselves "How do I see God's hand at work in my life?" The answer to this question are the things that we need to say thank you for. 

We also have to remember that we have to say thank you even in the harder times. This doesn't always happen when we are in the thick of the storm, but saying thank you after the calm has come. Thank you for bring the storm that put me back on my path or kept me from going down a rough road. After we start challenging ourselves to say thank you, we will start giving our thanks naturally.

shereadstruth.com has a great exercise for "thank you" beginners. Pretend that you are writing God a thank you note. 

God,

I am sincerely thankful for _______________________.

Thank you

I'm faithfully yours

Try every day to say thank you, for everything at first. Before long you will be thanking God all the time. This might be a practice that you have to do every once in awhile. If you notice that you haven't thanked God daily then set up a challenge for yourself to thank God daily for 2 weeks, or a month etc.