Faith Archives - Page 2 of 9

Follow Christ – Intense Prayer Sessions

Deciding to follow Christ came naturally to me. I knew I wanted to change my life, and changes happened quickly. My enthusiasm grew, and I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit working inside of me.

As I continue to grow, the decision to follow Christ is becoming more difficult as I am unlocking past hurts, hang-ups, and habits. I realize false beliefs about myself that I would rather not deal with, and they are causing difficulties in my life.

Good News To Follow Christ

The good news is that I am dealing with those feelings and thoughts. I am working through them and overcoming them. I am establishing new boundaries that should have been in place long ago.

The “boundaries” are for self and others. It is impacting relationships, and it hurts, but I am doing what is necessary to live a better life.

My enthusiasm for progress is cautiously optimistic at this point. It would be fantastic to tell you how excited I am for what is coming, but I cannot do that right now. There is far too much work to be done so that the enthusiasm will return, let's say I am confident I will gain energy as progress happens.

What's to gain enthusiasm and to grow as I follow Christ? One thing is intense prayer. My prayer sessions are still many, but the length of them is suffering and is quite possibly a significant reason for the slump.

As I think of it, I realize that during the intense prayer sessions, I often start not feeling as though I am praying well. I don't quit in the extended sessions, keep praying until the intensity, and the feeling of the Holy Spirit is present.

That's right; I know the Holy Spirit is there, sometimes going well over four hours in a single prayer session to get to that point.

It's time for more growth in my journey to follow Christ. It is time for some intense prayer sessions. I hope you will join me in prayer.

Understanding the Serenity Prayer a bit better

Celebration Recovery, Faith, Motivation

Does understanding the Serenity Prayer interest you? How many of the millions of people who know and say this prayer have a grasp on what they are asking? I think there are quite a few that don't.

I believe, understanding the serenity prayer, is necessary when saying it because God will know if you are saying it without comprehending it.

Keep in mind, that there are two forms to the Serenity Prayer. One is the short version that Alcoholics Anonymous uses, and then there is the original version, used by Christian based programs. We are going to break down the full version.

When we say God

When we say, God, we understand what that means as Christians. It is the one God, the only God, but if you are using it in AA, it means your Higher Power, whatever that is. Keep in mind, AA's twelve-step program originated in a Christian organization and is adapted to cater to all beliefs, allowing the organization to reach the maximum amount of people possible.

The first line of the Serenity Prayer is, “God, grant me the serenity.”

We identified God, and understand him as to be the one and only Christian God that we are speaking to in this instance. Serenity is calm, peace, and being untroubled. Our request is for God to grant us Serenity, or relaxed, quiet, and to keep us from being troubled.

The second line of the Serenity Prayer is, “to accept the things I cannot change.”

We can't change the past, our age, weather, traffic, flight delays, the motives of other people, and any number of other things.

The Courage to Change

The third line is “the courage to change the things I can.”

So what are the things that you can change?

We can change the people who we are around, and find those who have a faith that lifts us, who say things that won't tear us down. Engage people who want us to do well, and use their words to reinforce and strengthen us.

We can change our habits, our daily routines. Start each day with the first step in a different direction, one that takes us down the right path, not the wrong way.

New uplifting thoughts

Start with new thoughts, that are positive and uplifting. We are alive, and we have the world to conquer, so many things we can do. Use our talents to bring joy in this world. Yes, we all have skills that are valuable to others. What do you know that will make a difference in the lives of others.

Change your faith, giving so much to God, have faith in yourself, don't doubt for a minute, because the doubt is what will keep you from what is possible. Never look back, believe, and it will happen. I know this to be true, as I've seen what is possible with God, and I know what is not when you don't believe.

The next line is, “The wisdom to know the difference.”

I love this line, as wisdom is making a decision based on what we know from the past, based on our knowledge and using good judgment.

Do we allow others to influence us that are not so qualified? Will we let emotions in that need not be there, but will we use what we know to be accurate, and rely on faith from God, without a doubt to see things through?

We all have wisdom, but are we strong enough to use it? I think so if we give ourselves a chance!

Understanding the Serenity Prayer – Complete Version

The secular version of the Serenity Prayer ends here, but there is more. The original Christian prayer continues:

The next line is, “Living one day at a time.”

Living one day at a time does not mean living to get by, it means to get everything you can out of this day. Seizing the moment, and making it count.

Living in the past, or living in the future won't fulfill you, or help you to do better, and be better than what you can do with what you have right now.

Use this moment to change your future. Make sure it counts because it will make what you have coming worth so much more.

Line 6 is “Enjoying one moment at a time.”

We can emphasize what I just suggested by making every moment count.

I liken it to walking into a restaurant staffed by ladies who never seem to smile and tell them how much you appreciate them. Put a smile on their face, and it will last a lifetime.

It lasts a lifetime not only for them but for yourself as well. I've done this and will do it again. Every time I think of it, I get a warm heart, and a smile on my face, even with nobody else around. It is the greatest joy to impact the heart of another.

Enjoying Each Moment – Understanding the Serenity Prayer

Enjoy one moment a time, make it count!

Line 7 is “accepting hardship as a pathway to peace.”

We are going to experience pain in our journey. The question is, will we deal with it, know it is part of the process and let it go? The sooner we do, the faster we will get to enjoy our life the way intended. We don't need to live in misery, and we can find our joy.

Line 8-9 is “taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is.”

It's tough to take this sinful world as it is, especially when treated poorly. Of course, then when we sin, we have to think about the way we are treating others.

Line 10 is “not as I would have it.”

Hopefully, we would take this world sinless, but that's difficult given that we all are sinners.

Line 11 is “trusting that You will make all things right.”

Thank you for taking care of our sins, for correcting our wrongs, and helping us to focus on you so that we might become better people.

Line 12-14 is “if I surrender to your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with you forever in the next.

Surrounding to God

Surrendering to God's will is complicated because we will always need to be consciously working on it. If we do it, will we be filled with joy? The Bible says we will be happy in heaven, and with faith, we know this to be true.

Are you understanding the Serenity Prayer a little bit better than before reading this post.

Anything is Possible With God – Daily Devotional

Faith, Motivation

Today, my daily devotional reading is focusing on all things are possible with God. It's true, that anything is possible if we let God in to do His work on us. We need to give up our will to let Him in, to let Him do for us what is so great.

With God, it's possible because he gives me an unbelievable amount of patience to stick with people I believe in when they don't believe in themselves, or even me. It doesn't matter, because when you put your faith in Christ, anything is possible.

You see, I am strongest when I am helping others, and the joy comes when you see them move closer to Christ. You know that you've been used to do God's work.

It's easy to get enthused and have rose colored glasses on, but we are going through recovery, and with recovery comes setbacks. It is a part of the process. The joy sometimes causes the patience to slip, and we have to go back to remember what is possible with God is a little bit closer than before.

Anything is Possible with God – Overcoming Setbacks

We can throw in the towel because of a setback. Don't waste what we have worked so hard to accomplish. We have to remember that the Holy Spirit is saying don't give up, we are closer than we think. I won't give up. keep going. I know that God has this under control.

My mission changed, my focus turned stronger towards Christ, and with that, all things become possible as moving forward will bring bigger and better experiences.

We have to fight old habits that suck us back to where we don't want to go. They may be enticing, but we have to remember where we landed. We have to look to whats possible walking with Christ.

I am still loyal, more than ever. My thoughts wander, the temptation to react, but with reaction is destruction. I cannot go there anymore. No, I am going to stick with Christ, even stronger than before. I want Him to guide my life, no matter what that looks like, no matter where He takes me. I want what is possible with God.

Boundaries – Physical and Spiritual Borders

Faith, Motivation

Identifying and setting boundaries can be a challenge for a lot of people. Physical boundaries are natural to see, but spiritual boundaries are not.

We might not even know what our spiritual boundaries despite expecting others to respect them.

Identifying boundaries helps us to have better relationships with family, friends, and others.

Boundaries for ourselves – Accountability

We hold ourselves accountable, which allows us to define our spiritual boundaries for others. When we are clear, we can move forward without having to struggle with what we mean.

That's why Henry Cloud's and Dr. John Townsens book, Boundaries is so valuable. The book helps us to identify where we draw a line in the sand and stick to them. Some may not like what we define as our limits, but we gain respect and do not have to struggle with what we will and won't do.

What I find interesting is how many times the book speaks of controlling issues. You would assume that the more you are in control, the more controlling you are, but that is not the case. If you have clearly defined lines, you won't need to be controlling.

The book goes on to cover how each boundary is developed, beginning right from birth, and continuing as we grow as children. How are parents raise us and handle us is crucial right from birth. We may have to go back and unlearn patterns that our parents thought best but left an impact through our entire life.

I found most interesting the boundaries we have in our relationship with God. If we chose to be alone, He would leave us alone. He is always there for us, regardless of our pursuit or lack of for Him.

The book closes in the final chapters with developing a healthy boundary, something that requires support from others who know your efforts, and a lot of practice. I do believe that taking these steps will make a substantial difference and is worth the effort.

My first experience of Boundaries, the book, almost twenty years ago, and I wished I had read it then, but am so glad that I am experiencing it today. I would highly recommend this book for anyone.

On a Mission to Something Better

Faith

Are you on a mission to make a difference in your life? Do you know you need to make changes? We can start by taking the single step in the right direction. Start every morning towards the objectives that will give us a different result.

There are so many resources available to help anyone who is on a mission to make a difference. You can read the Bible and look for practical applications, or start working on step study that will address specific life issues.

A few years ago, I started on a mission to get to know Christ better, to become a follower of Christ, and it’s gone well. But, there are times when we take a wrong step. We get caught up in the moment, and end up finding what appears to be right is not. We have to make adjustments. Take a different step away from where we were headed and course correct.

The good news is the more we learn, the closer we get to Christ, the faster we will learn what is real and what is not. We can adjust and make changes that work so that we are back on track headed in the right direction and get ready to experience a better life.

Lean on our brothers and sisters in Christ to help us see more clearly when we are on a mission. We need to rely on those who are solid in their faith, who can see what we might not be able to see and let God work through them to help protect us and guide us.

God Speaks to Us While On a Mission

God will speak to us through them when we hear a similar message that makes sense coming from them. Sometimes our vision will come through reading scripture or even through reading books and listening to video Bible studies. It is incredible how they can enlighten our path.

We may experience setbacks while on our mission. This is highly likely, but stay focused, and do what is right to reach our objective. We just have to keep taking the next step that is the right step no matter what staying Christ-focused at all times. He will lead us to the right place when we are with Him.

Tonight, I know that I am on the right step. I am on a mission to grow towards a piece of heaven here on earth. Just wait to see what is next!

A Single Step in the Right Direction

Celebration Recovery, Faith

Each day begins with a single step. After that is another step, then another, and another. Are you taking the right action each time you move or do you make one false step and head down the wrong path for the rest of the day?

Everyone starts out with a single step, some of us seem to head in the right direction, but most of us are on an imperfect path. Sometimes we get lucky and unknowingly course correct, but most will accept appears as the obvious way. We say we cannot change because of the circumstances we face and often take the road we are on.

What if we started our morning taking a single step in a different direction? Would that move alter our entire day? Maybe, maybe not, as we can course correct when we are going in the wrong direction, we can change direction and start down the wrong path any other time during the trip.

The key to all of this is taking our first step to everything heading in the right direction. If we keep working towards where we want to go, we will eventually get to the desired destination. We will achieve success.

Unfortunately, few of us look at our journey in life as an adventure taking us to the desired destination. Instead, we are along for the ride. We don’t use any type of navigation, we end up where we end up.

A Single Step To Your Destination

What is your destination and are you taking a single step, the right step towards your goal every morning, or are you going down a different path? Do you know what the first step is to get to that place?

Most of us are caught up in the monotony of life, letting it take us wherever we end up. Even those of us who follow Christ are often wandering aimlessly, looking for ways to live out a Christ-like life, but struggle to hit the mark.

What if we knew what the next step is, and we were on a mission to find that destination? Would life somehow change and start to look more like we want it to appear?

What if, we let Christ guide us to where He wants us to go, and we paid attention to the path that He wants us on? What do you be that we would start to look more like a godly man or woman as we are now able to do His work?

Are you going to take a single step, your next step in the right direction?

Have a great day!

The inspiration for this post comes from a daily reading in the Celebration Recovery 365 Daily Devotional book which is focused on Healing from Hurts, Habits, and Hang-ups. A Single Step is the title of the Day 2 devotional.