Wednesday, February 5, 2014

RELATIONSHIP THROUGH PRAYER

Hello, my sisters in Christ Jesus.  I pray that you are all blessed and highly favored of our Lord Jesus Christ.  I like today's message and I hope it's a timely one for you and that you are blessed by it.
 
(2 Chronicles 7:13-16) "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place, I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there".

Relationship - A state of connectedness between people; closeness Personal - peculiar or proper to private concerns. (Webster’s New College Dictionary, Third Edition, pp.

Woman of God let me ask you this question, do you have prayer or do you have a prayer life? Years ago my mentor asked me, “When do you have devotion time?” I had no idea what she was talking about, but I really didn't want her to know. I said, "I pray every day". Then she said, "That’s not the same as devotion time".  She told me that if I got up earlier in the day the Lord would make sure that I would not be tired.  He would give me more energy than I had waking up at my usual time and she was right.
I had a quiet place in the attic of my house and I cleaned it out for my devotion time. I would get up at five o'clock in the morning for prayer and get ready for work at six o'clock. When I first started getting up early, my body really wanted that extra hour of sleep. For the first week I had to literally push myself out of bed, I would just fall on the floor. After a period of time, I would be in such a hurry to get to my prayer closet because that is where I would go to meet God. I felt like He was always waiting there for me and I didn't want to disappoint Him.
The Lord gave me another way to look at those scriptures.  Watch this:  God says, “If you turn away from sin and pray for forgiveness with a spirit of humility, He will forgive you.  He will open up the heavens (which were shut to you because you did not repent and pray for forgiveness).  His eyes will be open and His ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.  (This place) God is referring to your heart, not a room or building.  God has chosen you (set you apart for holiness).  That His Name will be in your heart forever.  And if His Name is always in your heart then prayers offered from your heart will be heart.  And God will never take His eyes off of you or His heart.

The Lord wants to have a relationship with you. Not just to hear your prayer request or hear you read off your list of things you want Him to do for you. The more time you spend with God, the closer your relationship with Him will be. You will find yourself walking in God's favor every day. You need it. Your devotional time with the Lord will bless you so much. You will notice a change in your life, on the job, in your family and every area in your life. You need to be jealous when it comes to having a personal relationship with Him!  LET US PRAY!

Heavenly Father, I You honor and praise on today.  Lord, I pray for a deeper and closer relationship with You. Lord, remove any obstacles that may be keeping from have a peculiar and closer relationship with You, in Jesus name, Amen.