10/31/12- The Bible Strengthening us Against Evil

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)

Thoughts: Have you ever had something on the line- something you are called to do, but then you hear a competing voice asking you to fudge a bit- to compromise? It might be a voice saying, "Don't be so zealous, pure, honest, true." Jesus heard the suggestion to give in- to compromise his values- and He refutes and defeats this competing voice by quoting scripture. In each defeat of temptation from evil , Jesus says, "It is written" (three times). We are in a spiritual battle- a battle for our souls- a long battle. One day this battle will end and the voice of truth wins!

Prayer: Help me to be nourished by your Word, having it a part of my life and heart, that I would be able to stand strong against compromise.  When evil confronts me, help me to stay strong in your Word. 

As you see the news, pray for the people of the northeast. Pray for God's comfort, and strength.

Here is a prayer based on Isaiah 58 and 61 (from the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Program): God our help and hope when waters rise,
you brought Israel safely through the sea.
Sustain all those who seek to save others,

so that they may repair the ruined cities,
raise up the former devastations,
and be the restorers of streets to live in;
through Jesus Christ, our eternal savior.

10/30/12- The Living Word

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

(Ancient Hebrew sword)

Thoughts: What is the Word of God here? Jesus (logos Jn. 1) or the Bible. Spurgeon said much of what we say about Jesus we can also say about this book. It is the Word of God, Jesus, that gives the Word of God, the Bible, life. This book is like the energizer bunny - it keeps going and going. People testify that their lives have been changed by reading it in a hotel, in prison, addicts have turned around by reading this book; even whole people groups/villages have come to Christ because of having a copy of htat book. We often regret when we disobey it, but have no regrets when we listen to it. Sometimes reading it will encourage us, sometimes inspire us, sometimes it convicts us or rebukes us cutting like a knife.

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to seek to live by your living Word.

10/29/12- Standing on the Rock

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Thoughts: This is the end of the Sermon on the Mount. Each of us are building a life and character, and we will experience storms (relational, emotional, physical, financial, marriage). Peter said don't be surprised when you face trials. The rain tests your roof- your thoughts and what you let into your thought-life. The flood tests your foundation- your beliefs and values. The winds test your walls- those around you- your relationships. Storms have a purpose. Be built to last. Build on the solid rock of God's Word. Culture and opinion changes. When you finish laying the foundation, the most critical work is behind you- it determines the size and the strength.

Prayer: May you be my rock, O Lord. May my life and character stand up when the problems of life come.

(This devotion is a summary of Day 29 from Rick Warren's 40 Days in the Word- today's thoughts are from Rick Warren) 

10/28/12- Making God's Word Come Alive

I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil. ¹⁶³ I hate and detest falsehood
but I love your law. ¹⁶⁴ Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws.
¹⁶⁵ Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
¹⁶⁶ I wait for your salvation, Lord, and I follow your commands. ¹⁶⁷ I obey your statutes,
for I love them greatly. (Psalm 119:162- 167) 

Thoughts: The Bible sits around and collects dust because it has never come alive to them.  Faith activates the word.  "The message they heard was of no value to them because they did not combine the message with faith."  In the passage above, the person cares about God's way above anyone else's way.  The Bible is His great treasure.  There have been rumors of Blackbeard the Pirate's treasure all up and down the coast of North and South Carolina.  For Blackbeard's treasure was never recovered. Many have spent years of their life looking for that treasure.  But a greater treasure is sitting right before us in the Bible.  But we must value it, or it is wasted and overlooked treasure.  We must put our faith in God- but also believe that God's Word is valuable. 

Prayer: Help me to combine your word with faith.

10/27/12- Not Slipping

The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just.
31 The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip. (Psalm 37;30-31)


Thoughts: This is a confidence we have in God. In God we can stand steady and strong. A runner knows they need the right kind of shoes to keep good traction, and not slide down. When God's Word is a part of you, and you have digested it regularly, it makes us more wise, more fair, and in being wise and fair there is traction in life- and purpose in life. But more than that, God blesses those who show trust in Him by taking time to listen to Him, enabling them with wisdom and steadfastness.

Prayer: Help me to be wise, just, and steady God. Help me to put your law in my heart.

(Going along with 40 Days in the Word)

10/25/12- Bible and health

My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. (Prov. 4:20-22)

Thoughts: The Bible is a guidebook that helps us love and forgive others- including how to stay married, raise children, and avoiding pain, trouble, and heartache in life.  So many can testify that holding to the scriptures has helped them in life or even health.  But there have been numerous studies that confirm this- one University of California (see below)  study found that once a week church attendance meant 21% less mortality and less problems with respiratory and digestive systems as well as blood pressure.  If the people who spend thousands at the gym only knew!  The Bible points the way to life and health.  Health for the soul effects health for the body.

Prayer: Lord, help me to come to you with listening ears today.

Going along with 40 Days in the Word.

http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/4132

10/24/12- The Light of the Word

The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. (Ps. 119:130)



Thoughts: When the lights go out, even a tiny light helps us find our way. God's Word helps us find our way through life. God reveals God- the reality behind it all. but God all shows us the way we should go, and gives us perspectives in the dark valleys of our life.  If you ever sat waiting for the sun to rise, you know that it is a gradual enlightening.  The more we wait on it, the more light appears.  Sometimes God's Word lights up like a flashlight turned on, or a match lit.  But often God's Word enlightens us with clarity and perspective gradually.

Prayer: Help me, Lord to walk in the light of your Word.

(Part of the 40 Days in the Word program.  Day 24 Tommy Hillaker)

10/23/12- Spiritual Security System

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17)

Thoughts: The most common commercial I see (usually on the news or ESPN) are security commercials.  Usually the man is away and the woman or child are in bed or the shower and someone breaks down the door, and the security person speaks to the burglar and they run away.  Wouldn't it be nice to have a tool that keeps you and the ones you love safe from all physical danger?  What about spiritual danger?  Ironically, all of us are much more vulnerable spiritually than we are physically- and the spiritual part of us is what lives forever.  God has not left us without any tools.  When we are tempted- God's voice is able to speak addressing that temptation and make it go away.  The problem is that we often have turned the voice of God off or the volume down so much- that it is useless, and we are damaged or wounded in our souls.  Reading and thinking about God's Word daily turns that volume up.  Jesus, when he was tempted with physical, spiritual and social temptations responded to the temptation by saying, "It is written" and then quoted scripture (Mt. 4:4).
We too, have at our hand our security weapon- in old times it is called "the sword of the Spirit."  Maybe we could call it "Our spiritual security system."

Prayer: Help me, O Lord, to turn my spiritual security on by listening to you this day.  Protect me, guard my soul, strengthen me this day.

(Going along with 40 days in the Word)

10/22/12- Hiding God's Word Within

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.(Ps. 119:11) [This is also our memory vs for the week]

(Below Batman's utility belt in gold)

Thoughts: If you hide something away that is special to you- you lock them a way in a secure, safe place. Think of where you put your birth certificate, passport, deeds, or car titles etc. We place God's Word in a safe secure location in your heart. As God's Word is hidden in your heart, it actually changes your heart. It is like an ingredient in a recipe that blends in to make the whole recipe better. The two tools we have to hide God's Word in us is meditation and memorization. Sometimes writing a verse down (maybe in a notebook) helps us to meditate on it. If we write down the verse on a 3x5 card or if you have a smartphone or tablet- using the "Remember Me" app may help. We love God, so we don't want to choose sin. This is why we want to hide God's Word- that helps us avoid sin. Batman pulls out a utility belt with a special weapon (the Joker called them "wonderful toys") that helped him just in the nick of time. God's Word is like armor that always with us when we hide it in our heart- and we can pull it out when we need it to fight evil within and without.

(From 40DITW- mainly from Mike Howerton)

10/21/12- Word and Spirit: Tied Together

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. (John 6:63)

(People watching 3-D Movie)

Thoughts:  God's Word is life in that it points to how to get eternal life. Spiritual truths are given to those who seek the truth by the Spirit. People full of the Spirit are the ones who can hear the Spirit speaking in the Word and experience the life that comes from that. If you want to have God's wisdom and truth (and life) then we must turn to Him. If you go to a 3-D movie and don't put on 3-D glasses, then you may not like the way the movie appears. The movie and the glasses are tied together. So the Spirit and the Word are tied together. If we want to be spiritual- getting close to God- we need the Word; we cannot have the Word without the Spirit.

Prayer: Help me, O Lord. Open my eyes and soften my heart to your Word.

(mainly from 40ditw video devotional- Today's (Day 20) devotion is from the Ryan Meeks pastor of East Lake Church, Bothwell, Washington).

10/20/12- Fresh Bread of the Word

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts. (Jer. 15:16)

(Fresh Bread)

Thoughts (from 40DITW)- The Word of God is fresh like fresh, tasty bread. We have hunger for many things- sports, food, some form of entertainment or show. But we should have a passion for God's Word as we would for our favorite food or event. We want to meditate or chew on the Word and digest it so that it becomes a part of us. It is often the ancient spiritual disciplines that we are missing in our society that refreshes our faith- like reading God's Word and slowly digesting it.

Prayer: May I delight in your Word O Lord this day.

10/19/12- Strength in Weariness

My soul is weary with sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word. (Psalm 119:28)

(Old metal melted and forming something new)

Thoughts:  Perhaps today you feel weary. The word "weary" in the Hebrew from this verse means "to melt away." What once was solid because of heat and friction begins to melt. Maybe God is molding us into something new and the heat makes us more pliable.  If you are weary, tired, worn down, melted down- remember where your real strength lies.  Maybe God reminds you of someone in scripture like Daniel's friends who went through the fire. Maybe you look at Paul (who was beaten, shipwrecked, stoned, left for dead, imprisoned) said he considered the suffering of this life not worth comparing to the glory of the next. Maybe its a simple reminder like Philippians 4:13- "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength." Maybe it is the verse, "When you walk through the fire you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze; neither shall the floods overwhelm you" (Is. 43:2).  God is able to gather us together, to unmelt and solidify us.

Prayer: I come to you, Lord, weary and heavy laden. I seek from you this day rest, peace, encouragement and strength- so that I might be a blessing to you today.

Thoughts above mainly taken from 40 Days in the Word video devotion of the day (from Shawn Lovejoy of Mountain Lake Church in Atlanta). 

10/18/12- The Word Gives Freedom

I will walk about in freedom,
for I have sought out your precepts. (Psalm 119:45)

Thoughts: God's Word is a guardrail on the highway of life. It directs and protects and keeps us out of the ditches. The word "freedom" in this verse means "wide place." One study showed that children without a fence stayed only in the center of the playground, but those who had a fence played to the edge of the fence. God's Word tells us where the boundaries are so we can enjoy the life God has given. Sin often wounds us and restricts us. But God's Word allows us to live a free and abundant life.

Prayer: I am not in control, Lord, but you are. Help me to trust in you and find my freedom in you.

10/17/12- Thriving in God's Word

Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.

(Mamma bird filling mouth of baby bird)

(Devotion below from 40 Days in the Word program- video devotion sermon)

Thoughts: The blessed life is lived in relation to God and His Word. The blessed life is the one that makes God's Word a treasure. It is a life filled with His favor. Having God's favor means less stress and more purpose. Meditating is not emptying our minds, but thinking and chewing on God's Word. This is not saying there are no trials and problems. But this is a promise for fruitfulness inspite of our problems. Literally the word "prosper" means "to advance," This doesn't mean there will not be dry times, but that we will have a source of hope even in the dry and tough times.  But like a tree by a never ending source, or like a baby bird with a faithful mamma bird feeding us, we not only survive but thrive.  We open our mouths- like hungry birds- and God fills our mouths with His full of the nourishment of His Word.  Open your mouth and He will fill it.

Prayer: Lord, help me to trust in you. Help me to prosper for you.

10/16/12- Sanctify Them By the Truth

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. (John 17:17-18)

Thoughts: Jesus prayed this prayer- that God would make us holy, or make us more like Him by, through, and in His Word. So if we want to be like Jesus- we do not do this apart from what He has said, but we listen to what He has said. There is a sense in which Jesus is the living Word (John 1), but Jesus apparently was talking about the Bible here. The Bible is not inconsistent with Jesus- but points to and tells us of Jesus. The gospels are as close to eyewitness testimonies as we can get, written while many other eyewitnesses were still alive. In this passage, Jesus is inferring that we can trust the Bible of the Old Testament to not lead us astray. In fact, His prayer is that God would make us a more holy people by listening to it- and doing what it says.  Paul talks about the Church being "washed by the water of the Word."  It is the same idea- that the Word purifies us, making us better- even holy.  The holiness of the Church is not found in our being pure in this life- but in the eternal Word which makes us pure.  The Holy Spirit takes the Holy Word and makes us holy.

Prayer: Sanctify me, Lord, by your truth. Your Word is truth.

10/15/12- Learning From the Mirror

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. (James 1:22-25) 

Thoughts: (Mainly from 40 DITW Video from Dino Rizzo of Baton Rouge, LA): A mirror shows us what we need to fix. Can you imagine looking in a mirror and seeing a big blotch of ink on your nose and not fixing it (what would the kids/grandkids think?). Or, guys, what if you saw in the mirror you only shaved half your face- you saw it in the mirror and then forgot about it the rest of the day? The Bible is like a mirror that shows us what we need to alter, fix, improve to be better. But we must not just see what needs to be changed- we need to change! So we should not just be hearers- but also doers of the Word. We are blessed to be a blessing- and we are that when we listen and obey.

Prayer: Search me, O God, and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

10/14/12- Loving and Listening

We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4 The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. (1 John 2:3-6)

Thoughts: This is not saying "God will love me if I keep His commands."
Yet God's love is unconditional. It is not about us, but about what Jesus has done for us. This passage is talking about the fruit of our relationship with God, not the root of our relationship with God. Our love for God shows itself by how we listen to Him. If we say we are a Christian but do not care what God says, then we have a false assurance. Love for God shows in our willingness to listen to Him.
We are called to walk as Jesus did, knowing He also walks with us.

Prayer: Lord, let my love for you open my ears and hands to you.  

10/13/12- Tuning in and Turning On

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28)

Thoughts: We are asked to tune in. But there are always distractions (baby crying, siren sounding, sleep calling). We often think there are consequences to tuning into the distractions but it doesn't matter if we do not tune into God's Word. When we respond to God it changes us. But if God speaks and we do not listen it changes us in a negative way. It hardens our hearts or deafens our ears to God. If God opens our hearts, then we need to respond by listening and heeding (obeying). For every commandment there is an enablement. We are blessed to hear God, but we are also blessed (see verse above) if we respond in heeding God.  It is important to tune into God- but it is even more important to turn on to God. We tune in to God by listening, we turn on to God by obedience.

Prayer: Give me an ear to hear and a heart to respond to you, O Lord.

10/12/12- Great Peace Found in God's Word

Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. (Psalm 119:165)

(Standing peacefully against a shot with a bullet proof vest on)

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible and focuses on the Bible. It is important that we trust in what is solid and reliable. Just believing is not enough, it is important to put our trust in what is reliable and has been found trustworthy.  The Bible has been proven a trustworthy place through the centuries.  Peace can be obtained through the elimination of stress by knowing your foundation will be there through the storms of life. The Bible is like a bullet proof vest that gives us peace when the bullets of life come flying at us. It brings "great peace."

Prayer: Lord, when we are not in peaceful situations, may we find peace in your solid rock- your Word.

(Adapted from 40 Days in the Word video devotional in which our church is taking part). 

10/11/12- The Bible: For Our God

And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good? (Dt. 10:12-13)

If you get a chance, watch the video devotion on this verse from Nicky Gumble, Episcopalian pastor who founded the world-reknown Alpha program. Day 11 devotion: http://40daysintheword.com/blogs/habits/day-11/

The Bible is not meant to hurt us or take away our freedom, but keep us from hurting each other. Just as a game is played with more freedom and fun-and less injury- with rules, so the Bible helps us to enjoy life for our own good. As Rev. Gumble says, God did not say do not kill or do not steal to take away our fun but to keep us from hurting each other.

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to listen to you.

10/10/12- Cashing in the Word by Belief

And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. (Hebrews 4:2)

(Old check)

Thought: The Word is to be combined with faith in order to be effective. When you act on the Word of God, the Word of God acts on you.  Believing in God is like claiming the promises of God.  I once knew a young man who got a birthday check from one of his relatives.  His parents gave him the check, and he put it in his bill fold.  Two years later, he was still carrying around the check in his wallet.  The check was good, but he still had to cash it in.  Believing is not just thinking God's Word is true, but it is going to the bank to cash it in.  

Prayer: Help me today, Lord, by increasing my faith giving me both a listening and a believing heart.

10/9/12- Meditating and peace

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8)

(My wife with a dog at her head and a dog at her feet- all asleep and at peace!)

Thought: Christian meditation, in contrast to more eastern meditation, seeks not to empty the mind, but to fill it with scripture.  We used to have a saying, "chew on this" meaning- think about it over and over.  Scripture is like a big chocolate ball that you don't want to just swallow whole, but you want it to remain in your mouth where you can enjoy it over and over.  We taste and see that the Lord is good by meeting with Him regularly to think about Him.
Meditating on God's Word is taking a little time out of the life that He gives us to center and settle ourselves- not into nothingness- but into Him.  Meditating on God's Word is like putting ourselves into His hands.  I have a small toy poodle that every morning will go around in circles-restless- until I pick her up and sit her beside me (she is there right now).  Once she gets in the chair beside me, she gives a big sigh and goes right to sleep.  She wants to just be near.  I have that same kind of relationship with God.  I am restless until I get near- coming to God in His Word- chewing on what He has for me today.
One of the benefits of this Forty Days in the Word program is it gives us a taste of what it feels like to regularly meet with God.  I can get so tired of looking at the TV and internet- political stuff that I cannot control, I can only get into just so many sports games.  Meeting with God is a chance to go deeper in life and to find a jolt of fulfillment that leads us to be the kind of person we were meant to be.  That is... prosperous and successful.  Prosperous and successful does not necessarily mean rich (though it may mean that).  We have been programmed in our culture to think in terms of money.  Money was not common in Joshua's day.  But the prosperity was in fulfilling God's will (in his case conquering the land).  We find our best fulfillment when we fulfill God's will- being the kind of person God has made us to be- reaching our full potential.  We cannot truly fulfill God's will for us without listening to Him- and we hear Him most clearly in His Word.

Prayer/Memory Verse: "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law."

10/7/12 Scripture as our Standard

Passage for the day: (Ps. 119:9,11)- "How can a young person keep their way pure? By taking heed according to your Word...I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you." 

(Bells picture to show the power of white balance in a picture)

The Word of God is the standard- the camera's white balance- that makes everything in the right perspective. It is instruction of God that we go back and check- just as if we were given an academic assignment and go back and check the instructions.

Memory Verse: Psalm 119:18: "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law."

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to keep my life pleasing to you by listening to what you say to me in scripture.

(Taken from 40 Days in the Word Program- and edited just a bit)

10/6/12- Psalm 19- The Law as a gift

The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
⁹ The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.

¹⁰ They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
¹¹ By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

Thoughts: The Law of God is not meant to rob us of joy, but to bring us the abundant life.  God sits at the treasure chest of His Word each day waiting to meet with us.  

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to see your Word as a precious gift. 

10-5-12 The Bible Protects

Passage for the day: (Prov. 30:5) “Every word of God is flawless;
    he is a shield to those who take refuge in him."

(Akbar shield)

Thought: A shield is what the ancients used to hide behind when the arrows came. When times get tough, the scriptures are a comfort, lifting up our heads.  We would do well, when we are discouraged to search the scriptures and know what passages can help us when the tough times come.  The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, uses the book He inspired not only to inspire us, but to protect our souls.  When we are going through the valley- the rod and staff of God comforts us.  God has not abandoned us to our circumstances.  He did not create us and then not care.  Rather, He has provided us a word of hope. When God revealed Himself to Abraham, the father of our faith, He revealed Himself as a shielf (Gen. 15:1).
    I can remember once when all three of my kids were sick and my wife, Kay was in the hospital.  It was overwhelming in so many ways.  But I found peace of mind- not in zooing out in front of the TV or internet, but in reading the Bible and prayer.  The Psalms are excellent places to go for comfort, protection, and solace for our souls in the tough times.

Memory verse: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly."  (Col. 3:16)

Prayer: This day, Lord, may I find your word to be my shield and strength.

Cross reference: Ps. 18:30,35 says the same as Prov. 30:5;  Eph. 6: "Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

Remaining in God- Prayer and the Word

Passage for the day: (Jn. 15:7) "If you remain in me and my Word remains in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you."

If you can, look at the EXCELLENT devotional video today (day 4) from Dr. John Ortberg, PCUSA pastor: http://40daysintheword.com/blogs/habits/day-4/

"The goal of prayer is to say every word in joyous consciousness of God's presence." "Prayer is talking with God about what He and I are doing together." "Scripture is the best place to immerse myself in the Word of God."

Memory verse: Col. 3:16- "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly."

Ortberg says, "Some say, 'If prayer really works, it should work all the time.'  But if you stop and think about it, God would be very foolish to give someone the power to have every prayer they ever offered answered.  Because if I had that guarantee, I might pray, 'Lord smite my enemies.'  Then the freeways would be very dangerous...like giving a loaded shotgun to a six year old." Here God is really talking about a way of life."