Daily Word of God & Prayer_October 9, 2015

Title: What Is Flowing From Your Heart?

Text:

1 Corinthians 12:31 (NLT) 

31  So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all. 

Observation:

I don't know about you and your house, but for me and my house, I want the way of life that is the best that God has to offer. What is the best of all? Let's look at what it is not. Then, we will save the best for last.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NLT) 

1  If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 

2  If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing. 

3  If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing.

Oh yes, the way that is best of all is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT) 

13  Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. 

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your most holy and righteous name; the name that is above every name on earth and in heaven. Glory to God!

Father, I'm praying for a mighty ocean of love to flow from our hearts to Your heart, and from our hearts to the others that we encounter in our daily living. 

Father, we acknowledge and receive the love that You have already poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit that You have given to us. Father, with grateful hearts we will love You, and others with our whole heart. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Singing in my Spirit:

"I've got love like an ocean,

I've got love like an ocean,

I've got love like an ocean in my soul,

I've got love like an ocean,

I've got love like an ocean,

I've got love like an ocean in my soul."

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

 

Daily Word of God & Prayer_October 8, 2015

Title: Do You Know How to Be Free of Burdens and Anxiety?

Text:

Psalm 55:22-23 (ESV) 

22  Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. 

23  But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you. 

Observation:

There is nothing in life or in death that is more profound than the knowledge that God loves you. Who wouldn't want to know the one who created them, and loves them with an everlasting love?

I woke up early this morning with today's focal passage on my mind. Using the international symbol of surrender I lifted both of my hands toward the skies and said these words, "Father, I lift my hands up to you and in them I cast all of my burdens and anxieties up to you, and I ask You to take them out of my hands; Lord, I give them to You".

O, what a blessing to know that I don't have to carry that heavy load that I was not made to carry. If you feel poor, weak and weary in your mind, body, and soul; why not cast those burdens upon the Lord.

Notice what the Psalmist says about the unrighteous, and how they feel based on their prosperity.

Psalm 30:6 (ESV) 

6  As for me, I said in my prosperity, "I shall never be moved." 

Would you rather be rich in worldly goods or poor in spirit? Let me encourage you to ponder this teaching of Jesus.

Matthew 5:3 (ESV) 

3  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Are you willing to exercise the gift of faith that is within you to be able to raise your hands and say to God, "I trust in you". This is His promise to you, "I will never permit the righteous to be moved".

I'm going to pray for each of you now, and my prayer will be that you will be able to sing this song.

"I'm so glad I learned to trust Thee,

Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;

And I know that Thou art with me,

Wilt be with me to the end."

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, I'm so glad that I am poor enough in spirit that I know I am not built to carry the burdens of living in a fallen world on my own shoulders.

Father, by an act of raising my hands in total surrender I offer my burdens up to You. Lord, I ask You to take them out of my hands, and handle them with Your hands.

Father, I trust in You, O Father, give me faith to trust You more. Father, I pray this prayer for my family, friends, neighbors, and last of all for myself. In the might name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

 

Daily Word of God & Prayer_October 7, 2015

Title: Why Praying for Love Matters

Text:

Romans 5:5 (NLT) 

5  And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. 

Observation:

Why is love so important?

1 John 4:16 (ESV) 

16  So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 

The Bible says this about love.

1 John 4:8 (ESV) 

8  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 

Last Wednesday I took a prayer request from a bucket in our church, and agreed to pray for the need for 7 days. Today is day 7 of praying for the following request.

"I pray that my family would come together in love".

The request did not have the name of the person making the request. I may not know the person's name, but God knows it. I thank God that He hears and answers the prayers of His people.

Today, I claim victory for that person that I had the privilege of praying for. Additionally, I asked some of my prayer partners to join with me in praying for that person; and, not just for that family, but for all of our families.

Notice this significant promises from the Word of God concerning love; the ones we mentioned above, and this final verse I share for your enlightenment and encouragement.

Romans 8:9 (ESV) 

9  You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 

What bookends! We started with Romans 5:5, and end with Romans 8:9; with 1 John 4:16 in the middle.

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, I am so grateful that You are love; You have made us in Your image. We have love in our hearts when we are born again; when we are born from above.

Father, thank You that You have poured love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit that You have given us. Father, help all of us to come together in love in our families; let love begin at home, and spread abroad. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

 

Daily Word of God & Prayer_October 6, 2015

Title: Why We Need to Walk Daily With God

Text:

Psalm 143:8 (HCSB) 

8  Let me experience Your faithful love in the morning, for I trust in You. Reveal to me the way I should go because I long for You. 

Observation:

In today's focal verse we see that David had a practice of starting the day looking to God, and to God's Word.

Here is the reason:

Psalm 142:3 (HCSB) 

3  Although my spirit is weak within me, You know my way. Along this path I travel they have hidden a trap for me. 

The world we live in is too dangerous, and the devil and his emps are too many to live in this world without the abiding presence of the Lord.

Psalm 16:8 (HCSB) 

8  I keep the LORD in mind always. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 

If you are a child of God you have no reason to ever feel alone, and the reason is that you are loved with an everlasting love by God. His love is not based on your performance, but it is based on His benevolence.

God loves you because He made you, and you belong to Him. He made you in His image, and for His purposes. God is always available to provide for all of your needs; there is nothing He is not able and willing to provide. O, if we would only exercise our will and trust in Him with our whole heart.

Matthew 11:28-30 (HCSB) 

28  "Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 

29  All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. 

30  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." 

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, our prayer to You this morning, and all the day long is like David's prayer.

Psalm 143:1 (HCSB) 

1 LORD, hear my prayer. In Your faithfulness listen to my plea, and in Your righteousness answer me. 

Father, we thank You for the confidence we have in You, and the comfort we experience when we trust in You with our whole heart. Father, help us to be willing to surrender our will to Your will. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

 

Daily Word of God & Prayer_October 5, 2015

Title: What Is On Your Mind?

Text:

Psalm 40:16 (ESV) 

16  But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, "Great is the LORD!" 

Observation:

The title of today's message is significant because what is on our minds matter. What we think about we become.

Notice this clarion call by God to His people; the God who is the creator of every living being.

Deuteronomy 30:19 (ESV) 

19  I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 

The God who created us created us in His image. God is love, and has created us to be love.

There are two zones that people live in; the sphere of love and the sphere of fear. God made you to be love; but sin marred the plan because He made us with the ability to choose, we often make the wrong choice. Regretfully, we sometimes choose death.

Romans 3:23-24 (ESV) 

23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 

24  and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 

How do we learn to choose life? The first thing we do is accept God's loving and gracious gift of life.

John 3:16 (ESV) 

16  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 

Then, we live a life in communion and connection with the source of our new life in Christ. We change our thoughts; we become like God; we become love, and perfect love cast out fear.

Psalm 90:14 (ESV) 

14  Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 

Psalm 9:2 (ESV) 

2  I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. 

Instead of having a pity party every day, why not have a praise party every day, and see what a difference it will make in your life.

Psalm 31:7-8 (ESV) 

7  I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul, 

8  and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place. 

Psalm 143:8 (ESV) 

8  Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. 

Prayer:

Father, thank You for being the author of life, and for giving us eternal life. Father, thank You for giving us a new nature; a nature like Your nature; a nature of love. 

Father, help us by the enabling power of the Holy Spirit that You have given us to have more love every day; help us to choose life. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

 

Daily Word of God & Prayer_October 2, 2015

Title: Do You Have the Need for Love?

Text:

Romans 8:38-39 (ESV) 

38  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 

39  nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Observation:

Do you believe in God? Do you believe that God is love? On Wednesday night I reached into a box as I was leaving the auditorium of the church and selected this prayer request.

"I pray that my family would come together in Love."

I made a commitment during the service that night to pray for the request I selected from the box for 7 days. The request is from an anonymous person to me, but not to God.

I find great comfort in the words of the Apostle Paul to the believers at the church at Rome. He said, "Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord". Now, that is a promise I can build my life, my hopes, and my future upon.

God is love, and His love is so amazing. Only He is able to love without the need to be loved in return. Notice how the Apostle Paul describes God's love to the church at Ephesus.

Ephesians 3:17-19 (ESV) 

17  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 

18  may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 

19  and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 

I'm so glad that God's love is available to the person who wrote the request that I picked out of the box Wednesday night. This verse informs and encourages me; I pray it will do the same for you.

Ephesians 2:4 (ESV) 

4  But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 

O how I love these two words, "But God". The reason is because of the one word that comes after that, which is mercy; His favor in not giving us what we deserve. Here is one more verse for your encouragement.

Romans 2:4 (ESV) 

4  Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

It's only one step of faith for you to repent, and run into the open arms of the God who loves you with an everlasting love. Let's pray that all of our families would come together in love.

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, I am so thankful for Your love for the unlovely. Father, I am so glad that there is no barrier between the vilest sinner and Your love that You cannot overcome.

Father, give the hurting and the hopeless among us the courage to take that one step of faith that it takes to receive the love of God. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

 

Daily Word of God & Prayer_October 1, 2015

Title: It Pays to Know Your Enemies

Text:

1 John 4:4 (NLT) 

4  But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 

Observation:

Who are the greatest enemies that the children of God face in this world? It's not flesh and blood. This world that we live in is a battleground, and not a playground. We are in a spiritual battle.

There is good news for believers that are living in the world because you have already won a victory over the enemy of your soul.

 John 4:1-3 (ESV) 

1  Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 

2  By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 

3  and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 

The spirit of the world is powerful, but He is a defeated power. O how we need to be filled with the Spirit, and to live in the Spirt of God.

 John 5:19 (ESV) 

19  We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 

Ephesians 5:18 (HCSB) 

18  And don't get drunk with wine, which [leads to] reckless actions, but be filled by the Spirit:

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name; the name that is above every name on earth, and in heaven. We bow humbly at Your feet, and give You the glory and the praise that You alone deserve.

Father, our need and our plea is that You would fill Your people with the Holy Spirit continuously and completely; that we would withhold no area of our life from the complete occupation of the Holy Spirit. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry