What PART are you fulfilling?

2 Chronicles 7 ~ the dedication of the Temple

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"...3 elements we can include in services, and even in songs: re-enactment, realization, and anticipation. They are like the beginning, middle, and end of a story. So we recall something God did in the history of His people – then we enter the realization stage. In other words, what that means to our lives, here and now today. And then we end in anticipation – knowing there is more still to come in this epic love story of God we exist in..."

This is from Matt Redman's devotional series, "Sing Like Never Before." Based on 2 Chronicles 7 and his song, "Lord Let Your Glory Fall."

These three elements are really what my "prayer pattern" is based on...

Knowing God has and is doing His PART, we, too, have a part to fulfill in our relationship with Him. In praying, we can remember to do our...

P: Praise Him for what He is doing and Who He is.

A: Ask forgiveness for our foolish human natures that gravitate toward sin and destruction.

R: Requests ~ bring our requests before the throne of grace with confidence in Whose hands we are putting them.

T: Thank Him for His goodness and mercy and what He is doing in our lives.

Just as we put our faith in The One who holds it all together (Colossians 1:17) to do His part, we do ours. By this, we know we are not passively expecting God to do something, but actively engaging in the awareness of what our hearts are needing, while connecting our hearts to His.  

There's an old saying that goes like this: 

Watch your thoughts - they become your words. 

Watch your words - they become your actions.

Watch your actions - they become your habits. 

Watch your habits - they become your character. 

Watch your character - it becomes your destiny. 

What thoughts are you engaging with? What words are they forming? What actions have been expressed? What habits are you allowing? What does your character say about Who you believe is in charge of your life? 

Doing your PART in your walk with Christ will make all the difference in each of those categories, and as you lean into The One Who created you, you will know peace. That's the part He promises. (John 16:33)

Be Truthful

I JOHN 1: 8-10

8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

I've found that, in every area of life, being truthful brings a peace that is not found in being "right;" being "good;" or even in being "happy." Only when I'm brutally honest with myself do I have true peace.

"If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us....If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us."

How many times do we try to put the blame for our part in a situation on someone else? How many times do we look to find who is "in the wrong" when an argument or disagreement happens in our relationships? We often point to someone else. We are quick to see the sliver in someone else's eye while being unable to see the log in our own. We deceive ourselves...we make a liar out of the Very One Who had no sin and took our sin for us. Lord, have mercy, we are without Your peace because we simply don't want to be honest with ourselves.

Thank you for forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness... when we are honest and repent of our foolish ways.

Peace be with you...

25: God has given me the responsibility of serving His church by proclaiming His entire message to you. ... 28:So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. 29: That's why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ's mighty power that works within me.

Colossians 1: 25, 28-29 NLT

We have been given a calling. A responsibility. A necessity and a command...we are to share the Word of God with a world seeking, searching and striving for peace. People all around us are looking for *something* that will tell them they don't have to be perfect, they don't have to have it all together, they don't have to do it all themselves...so why are we telling them that perfection is to be admired; they need this, this and this to get their lives together; and self-sufficiency is the best way to go? Why are we not taking them to the letters written for them in which they can find the peace they are so fervently searching for? To a book of letters written by The Very One who loves them more than they could ever imagine, is the perfection they so willingly admire, and holds all things together? Today let someone know that God sees them...and that His Word in its entirety tells them over and over again how very much He loves them. SHARE the Word of God in all it's fullness with a world looking for life.