Praying for the Rain
For the past week we have been seeking to understand what causes a spiritual drought, and then how we can break that drought if indeed we are in one.
Here is what I want you to understand. Even if you earnestly seek God and repent of sin in your life, or you shift your focus and say, “God, I’m putting Your house first, and I’m going to put other people before myself,” or perhaps God leads you to do something of a personal nature, you still need to pray for the rain.
Do not just assume God’s blessing will automatically fall. You still need to ask for it. Zechariah 10:1 teaches us this truth,
Ask the LORD for rain In the time of the latter rain. The LORD will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, grass in the field for everyone.
I used to read that and wonder, “God, I don’t understand. If it is the time of the latter rain, if it is rainy season, why ask for rain? Won’t it just fall automatically?” If it is rainy season, why pray for rain?”
Because you cannot assume that it is automatically going to fall.
In James 5:17-18 there is a story about Elijah from 1 Kings 18. James gives us the very, very, very short version. But it tells us something significant,
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
What caused the rain to stop? His prayer. What caused the rain to fall again? His prayer.
Ask God today for the blessing of His rain in your life!
So I am finding similarities to my spiritual life and my journey to lose weight. (Which by the way brings me to a 90 lb. loss!!)
I am finding it much more difficult to lose than I did in the beginning. I am working harder and losing less. But the trick that I am finding is that when I actually increase my calories- for a single day- I will break through my plateau and drop a few pounds. Now obviously, I can't live in a higher calorie bracket because then my weight will start to increase. But if I continue to exercise and then I take just one day and increase my calorie intake- I will see success.
Spiritually I am like that. If I am in the word every day but I am not exercising- I will start to gain knowledge that will puff me up. But if I work out my spiritual muscles continually and I keep a steady intake of God's word, fellowship, and prayer I find success. And if when I feel that I need a spiritual boost- cuz I am in a drought- an increase of prayer can give me that extra boost I need!
1 comment:
love Bayless!!
Yahoo! congrats on the pounds that are coming off. You look great!
Yes if we are not careful the Word can be used by the enemy in our life and cause great distruction. I liken it to gluttony. When we are glutonous, it destroys us. Sure we gain weight but it also over times destoys our vital organs and often by the time we realize it( because the subtle signs we ingnore)we are dying, decaying, desperate for the healing touch of our Lord. Feeding on the Word and not using it according to Gods ways will do and has done this very same thing to a generation that surrounds us. We have become gluttonous and can't even see the decay going on inside the body. One of my favorite Bible teaching 'boyfriends' put it like this.
"if you come here each week and hear the Word that God has given to me for us and leave and think WOW that was great but make 0 change in your life with it. Please stop coming here. really please stop coming here. The Word says with knowledge comes responsibility and if you are not gonna be responsible unto God for yourself with the Word you gave gained knowledge in then guess who is gonna use this knowledge you now have?.... that's right SATAN and he has some very clever ways of using the Word of God in your life to destroy you and those around you"
painful truth that convicted me to the core
so to your post karen I say Yes and Amen. and call we missed our date
xoxoxo
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