A Prayer for New Life
By Dick Woodward
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.” – (Psalm 19:1-2)
At the end of summer we approach the threshold of the explosion of beautiful fall colors. While you enjoy the explosion of color this year consider the words God speaks to us every fall.
Since that beautiful color is produced by the death of those leaves, the word God is speaking to many of us is that death can be beautiful. In many ways the most beautiful reality you and I encounter in our three or four score years on earth is the death of our Lord Jesus Christ that makes it possible for us to experience salvation and enter heaven.
Paul tells us the Gospel is that Christ died so we might live and now it is our turn. We must die so Christ might live through us (Galatians 2:20). That means our death to ourselves can be beautiful.
Every spring our God speaks another word to us. That word is seen through all the resurrection around us as we see black trunks and branches of trees we thought were dead sprout to life and bloom.
The Latin root meaning of rehabilitation is “to invest again with dignity.” Do we have the faith to believe God can bring to life that which we thought was dead? Let’s apply that thought to our own life, to the lives of our children, and to secular people we know and love.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the joy and wonder of the autumn season. As we spend this time with friends and family, help to remember the many blessing you have bestowed upon us. As we reflect on the end of the harvest time, help us remember that you are in the business of bringing life out of death. Thank you that death does NOT have victory over us, and that spring will always come again. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Editor’s Note: The following is an abridged version of Words God Speaks Through Nature by Dick Woodward. To read the full devotional, follow this link.
www.crosswalk.com
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.“ -Colossians 4:2 NIV
The Intercessory and Prayer Ministry Team’s focus is to pray for the needs of New Life Church, its Pastors, its Leaders and the prayer requests of its members and attendees.
Prayer can assist us in our dealing and coping with physical, emotional, spiritual and relational issues that may prevent us from living in the full freedom of Christ.
The Team is committed to the power of prayer. Their mission is to make dependence on God through prayer foundational first in their own life and then pray for the needs of others.
“This is the confidence which we have before him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” – 1 John 5:14.
If you have a prayer request, please contact us.
www.newlifecc.ca
30 Days of Prayer for New Life: Day 26
God, not every day is the fairy tale. So in those days when we feel like Cinderella needing a bippity boppity boo from the Fairy God Mother, remind us that in a way, we do have that. We have You, and You are REAL!
For Your word says, “with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hewbrews 4:16).
Lord, thank You for accepting me just the way I am… Help me to have the courage to accept your mercy, and your grace. -In Jesus name, Amen.
0 Comments
Posted by amandacarroll on Tuesday, January 26th, 2016 at 3:00 am in 30 Days of Prayer for New Life, Daily Prayer
amandacarroll.org
Christian prayer has been described this way: True prayer is an approach of the soul by the Spirit of God to the throne of God…True prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal performance. It is far deeper than that-it is (a) spiritual transaction with the Creator of heaven and earth…our spirit communes with Him, presents to Him its requests, and receives from Him answers of peace. True prayer is a spiritual business from beginning to end (Charles Haddon Spurgeon).
Christian prayer is our conversation with God, in the name of Jesus, accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus prayed regularly. He taught his disciples to pray. He expects his followers to come to God in prayer, to worship and praise God, to give thanks, to present personal requests and to pray for others. Praying to God on a daily basis helps guide our life through each day.
True Spirituality True Spirituality Francis Schaeffer | Tyndale
Francis Shaeffer had been serving as a pastor for over a decade when he began to wonder if Christianity really made a difference in people’s lives. True Spirituality, a twentieth-century spiritual classic, outlines the result of his effort to “start at the beginning” and re-examine his faith. The book is a treasure trove of wisdom for Christians trying to discover what true spirituality looks like in everyday life.
- Indigo
- Amazon
- ChristianBook
- Barnes & Noble
Francis Schaeffer Anatomy of the Soul Anatomy of the Soul Curt Thompson | Tyndale
Do you want to improve your relationships and experience lasting personal change? Join Curt Thompson, M.D., on an amazing journey to discover the surprising pathways for transformation hidden inside your own mind. Integrating new findings in neuroscience and attachment with Christian spirituality, Dr. Thompson reveals how it is possible to rewire your mind, altering your brain patterns and literally making you more like the person God intended you to be. Explaining discoveries about the brain in layman’s terms, he shows how you can be mentally transformed through spiritual practices, interaction with Scripture, and connections with other people. He also provides practical exercises to help you experience healing in areas where you’ve been struggling. Insightful and challenging, Anatomy of the Soul illustrates how learning about one of God’s most miraculous creations-your brain-can enrich your life, your relationships, and your impact on the world around you.
- Indigo
- Amazon
- ChristianBook
- Barnes & Noble
Curt Thompson Blue like Jazz: Non-religious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality Blue like Jazz: Non-religious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality Donald Miller | Thomas Nelson
In Donald Miller’s early years, he was vaguely familiar with a distant God. But when he came to know Jesus Christ, he pursued the Christian life with great zeal. Within a few years he had a successful ministry that ultimately left him feeling empty, burned out, and, once again, far away from God. In this intimate, soul-searching account, Miller describes his remarkable journey back to a culturally relevant, infinitely loving God. For anyone wondering if the Christian faith is still relevant in a postmodern culture. For anyone thirsting for a genuine encounter with a God who is real. For anyone yearning for a renewed sense of passion in life. Blue Like Jazz is a fresh and original perspective on life, love, and redemption.
- Indigo
- Amazon
- ChristianBook
- Barnes & Noble
Donald Miller Messy Spirituality Messy Spirituality Michael Yaconelli | Zondervan
Attention burned-out believers and religious misfits! What if genuine faith begins with admitting you’ll never have your act together? Offering a strong antidote for spiritual perfectionism, Yaconelli dares to suggest that “unfinishedness” accompanies true Christianity! Escape the “ought to” tyranny and discover the God who meets and transforms you in the midst of life’s messiness.
- Indigo
- Amazon
- ChristianBook
- Barnes & Noble
Michael Yaconelli Celebration of Discipline Celebration of Discipline Richard J. Foster | HarperOne
Hailed by many as the best modern book on Christian spirituality, Celebration of Discipline explores the classic “Disciplines,” or central spiritual practices, of the Christian faith. Along the way, Foster shows that it is only by and through these practices that the true path to spiritual growth can be found.
- Indigo
- Amazon
- ChristianBook
- Barnes & Noble
Richard J. Foster
newlife.bible
