Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Prayer--Denying myself

Someone gave us a book called "Effective Prayer Life" by Chuck Smith. I loved what I read today...
"Only by denying yourself, taking up your cross, and follwing Jesus Christ do you recieve access to the powerful promises of God regarding your prayers."
When we are denying ourselves and following after Jesus Christ we will not pray for things that are self-pleasing. Denying oneself causes us to become other's centered. Our prayers will be in line with the Father because we will be seeking His heart.
For example and to be honest:
I have a tendency to pray for my children to obey because when they do so it makes my ministry easier--instead, I need to pray for obedience because it pleases the Father.
When we are in public I pray for my kids to be respectful and polite. But, many times the prayers are self focused, because respectful and polite kids make me look like a good parent. Rather, I need to pray for my kids to be respectful and polite because it pleases the Father.
I long to be dead to self but alive to Christ. There is still a lot more daily denying that needs to go on.
Oh, my patient and loving Savior, thank you for striving with me.

2 comments:

simmie flock said...

Summer, You are amazing! And by that, I mean: The Spirit is so alive and vibrant in you that it radiates out in such a way that drives me to draw closer in my obedient relationship with Christ, which is in so much need of the Spirit!

I rejoice in the Lord by what I see and read thru your blog. The souls Jesus has put in you and your husbands care...there is no doubt His Gentle Hand has been on their lives since before time!

Whatever lives they may have led prior to being in your care, if it led them to this place of sitting at the feet of the Father by sitting at YOUR feet daily, then so be it Lord!

You know what You're doing and we trust in You wholeheartedly!

Kris
ps) I'm getting ready to email you regarding the treats the Spirit is leading our family to send to your children, so be on the lookout...:)

Sheila said...

Boy do i ever identify!!!

One of the prayers the Spirit has been stirring in me is to pray that God would grant my kids a godly sorrow that leads to true repentance not a worldly sorrow that leads to death!

The burden for our kids is great and I'm so thankful that even when we don't know how to pray the Spirit is interceding for us!

Dont' know if you celebrate thanksgiving there but if you do... hope it's full of great memories!

Bless you!
sheila