Passion determines destiny

Bringing Joy to Heaven

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”
Luke 15:5–7

Because this world is all we have ever known, it is hard for us to comprehend the perfection of Heaven. The place where those who have trusted Christ as Saviour will spend eternity has none of the flaws that are part of daily life here. There is no sin, no sickness, no sadness, and no night. Best of all, there is the constant presence of God Himself.
As wonderful and glorious and perfect as Heaven is, there is something that we can do here on Earth that brings rejoicing even there—to bring other men and women to Jesus. There is no more important task given to God’s children than for us to follow the example of Jesus and work to reach the lost. There are many good and right things that can and should be done, but the essential mission of every believer is to be a witness of the salvation we have received to others. There is an eternal Heaven and an eternal Hell, and every person we meet will spend forever in one of those places.
It is our task to see to it that we warn the lost. We are their only hope. And if we fail in this assignment, the consequences are grave, both for others and for our own lives. “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16).

Today’s Growth Principle: 

The material things of Earth will one day vanish, but the souls of those around endure into eternity.

Keep on Doing What Is Right

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
John 17:3–5

There are many reasons people fail to accomplish all that they could or should in God’s work. One of the most common explanations for failure is that people stop doing what is right. The walls of Jericho did not fall down when the Israelites marched around the city on the first day, or the third, or even the sixth. It was not until they completed the seventh circuit on the seventh day that God stepped in to give them the victory. It is not always fun or exciting to do God’s will—it is simply obedience, again and again, that leads us to the place we should be.
It is easy to allow ourselves to become discouraged and decide that it doesn’t matter whether we keep going. Many have missed victories that could have been won if they had simply remained faithful and kept going. There will always be reasons and excuses for those who want to quit, but that is the time when it is most important that we do not give up. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9). As the old poem puts it:
Success is failure turned inside out—
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell just how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit—
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

You will never finish God’s course for your life if you are not faithful to stay on it.

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Christ in you, the hope of glory. --Colossians 1:27 The Christian life is not our feeble effort to copy the life of Jesus. That is complete futility. The Christian life is this: Christ in you and me, this is our hope of glory! And we need him so desperately. The Christian life isn’t just hard… it’s impossible in our own strength! So many believers struggle with their faith because they’ve never made the wonderful discovery of the Christ-filled life! But this is the very hope of your strength… Christ in you! Now, you might say, “This all sounds well and good, but how can I live this life?” I’ll tell you. The key is found in Isaiah 40:31, “They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.” That word “wait” might sound a little nebulous, but in the Old Testament this word often means “trust or hope.” So, to wait on the Lord means to rely on him, to trust in him, to put all your hope in him! You see, no matter how strong we are, or how good we are at what we do, we each eventually come face to face with our own failures and inabilities. And the sooner this happens in our lives, the better off we’ll be! Do you want to live an extraordinary Christian life? Are you weary with failing in your own strength? Wait on the Lord, trust and rely on him. He is your hope of glory! THE CHRISTIAN LIFE ISN’T JUST HARD… IT’S IMPOSSIBLE IN YOUR OWN STRENGTH!

Everlasting Love

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.”
Jeremiah 31:2–4

From the time it appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post on June 11, 1955, Norman Rockwell’s “Marriage License” proved to be one of his most popular and enduring paintings. It depicts a young couple trying to get the paperwork for their upcoming wedding finished before the office closes for the day. For his models, Rockwell used Joan Lahart and Francis Mahoney, a real life couple preparing for their wedding who lived near his studio in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Rockwell touched so many hearts because he captured the genuine love and affection the two young people had for each other—and he later gave them an oil sketch of that painting as a wedding gift.
Human love is wonderful, but it is always subject to the limitations we experience as fallen beings. God’s love is different. It is unlimited and because it is part of His very nature and character, it can never change. No power is able to take God’s love away from His children. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39). We should live in complete confidence rather than with fear or doubt because God’s love for us is everlasting.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

The love of God never fails, and nothing we can do will separate His children from His love for them.

Planning

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Rejoice in the Lord

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”
Isaiah 61:10–11

An English preacher named William Burt described how he visited the home of a family during his school days. The father he described as a good man but a “chronic growler.” As he sat with the family, their young daughter began describing the favorite food of each of her siblings. The father asked, “What do I like, Nancy?” After a brief pause the little girl replied, “Well, you mostly like everything we haven’t got.” Burt said that from that day forward he resolved to be careful not to complain.
Every Christian endures hardship and trouble. There are no people who float through life without problems. The difference between those who rejoice and those who complain is not their circumstances, but their focus. Some look at their troubles, while others look to the Lord. When Jesus sent the disciples out they returned with great joy over the results they had seen from their ministry. Jesus responded, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20).
The expression “rejoice in the Lord” is not meant to be a motto or a phrase we use without thinking. It is an instruction. He is the source of our joy, and His promises and faithfulness are the guarantee that we will receive all that He has offered, despite the circumstances of the moment.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

A Christian who thinks he has no cause for rejoicing has lost sight of God’s salvation.

Thumbs up!

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And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” --Exodus 33:14 If you’re feeling tired and worn out today, I want to ask you something. What’s causing your fatigue? Have you tried to determine the cause? Clearly, the demands of our daily lives take a toll at times. Even our Christian service can make us weary. The Lord himself even felt tired at times. It’s true! In John chapter 4 the Scripture says that after meeting the needs of people and performing miracles, Jesus was physically exhausted. Isn’t that amazing? In his humanity, even God himself felt the weariness of fatigue. So it’s not a sin to be fatigued. But it is a sin to not take the necessary measures to regain balance when things get out of control. We were designed to require physical, spiritual, and emotional balance in our lives. But beyond the physical demands of service, sometimes human beings are weakened by sin. It is costly to live in chronic disobedience before God. It weakens you spiritually, but carrying the burden of guilt and discouragement also weakens you physically. So if you’re weary today, let me ask you to do something. Be honest with yourself and take a look at what’s causing your fatigue. Do you simply need rest and relaxation? Or is your spirit weary with the burden of unconfessed sin? Call out to him. The Lord is able to restore you and he will give you rest. IN HIS HUMANITY, EVEN GOD FELT THE WEARINESS OF FATIGUE. Which Direction Are You Facing? by Dr. Paul Chappell “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.” Genesis 13:10–12 Lot had a close relationship with one of the greatest men of faith in all of human history. His uncle, Abraham, brought Lot with him when he left his home to follow God’s leading to a new land. As a result of their time together, Lot not only learned about God but profited materially in a great way as well. Yet he was not wise enough to want to stay with Abraham, and when the men who kept their large herds began to argue over land, Abraham graciously gave Lot first choice of where to go. Lot not only chose the area around Sodom, the most wicked city of the day, but when he set up camp, his tent looked toward Sodom. That choice led to great loss and sin for Lot and his family. A. W. Tozer said, “If I look at the world, I will conform to the ways of the world. If I look at the Word, I will conform to the will of God.” When we long to get as close to the world as we can and still feel good about ourselves as Christians, it will not be long before we pull back in our pursuit of God. There is a great drawing power in the things of the world. Satan is a master of temptation, and we must remain on guard to keep our hearts fixed on God.   Today’s Growth Principle:  The direction you lean will be the direction you fall, so take great care in what holds your affections.

Inspiring Meg

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… But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength…. --Isaiah 40:31 How are you today? Full of energy and ready to go, or tired and ready for a nap? Well, of course, I’m asking a loaded question. I saw a study a while back that said 89 percent of Americans report feeling fatigued most of the time. Can you relate? Fatigue is part of living. But let me tell you something… fatigue shouldn’t be your life’s norm! I know many people who seem truly exhausted. They’re burned-out—physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. And as a result, they face a depletion of strength and are utterly discouraged with life. People from all walks of life face incredible demands on their time and energy. The endless barrage of noise and clamor for our attention can leave us spent and sputtering—barely able to get through the day. Have I described how you feel? Are you running on empty and getting nowhere fast? Well, if so, I have some good news for you. In fact, God has a word for you today. And it’s one of the most joyous promises in all of Scripture: They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31). What a glorious promise! Claim it for yourself today! ARE YOU RUNNING ON EMPTY AND GETTING NOWHERE FAST?

Gideon Made an Ephod

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks. And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.”
Judges 8:26–27

God granted Gideon a miraculous victory over the Midianites that brought deliverance from painful bondage to the Jewish people. With a tiny group of three hundred men, Gideon routed a massive enemy army and put them to flight. Then, once the victory had been won, in one of the great tragedies of Scripture, Gideon took the spoils of war that had been gained only by God’s power and grace, and used them to make a false idol that eventually he and many others began to worship.
While most people do not carve statues of gold or silver to worship in our day, there are many who worship something in place of God. Charles Spurgeon said, “If you love anything better than God, you are idolaters: if there is anything you would not give up for God it is your idol: if there is anything that you seek with greater fervor than you seek the glory of God, that is your idol.”
It is not by coincidence that the first commandment said, “I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:2–3). God is not willing to be one among many or even first among equals. He is God alone, and nothing and no one will be allowed to take His place. The throne of our heart must be His completely.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

The only rightful place for God is on the throne of our hearts, and He will accept nothing less.

Moving Forward

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“Looking unto Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” --Hebrews 12:2 When we’re going through a difficult time, the hardest part is not knowing when it’s going to be over… or if it’s every going to be over. And yet, you and I are called to keep enduring... to press on, because we’re following the perfect example of faith. Do you know who that is? The perfect example of faith is the perfecter and completer of our faith, Jesus himself! How fitting that the One who endured the cross is the One who calls us to endure our sufferings! Jesus brought a challenging message of faith to the throngs of people who followed him. And many people rejected his invitation. They wanted the glorious, conquering side of faith without the suffering or pain. And there are many people like this today, too. But if you want to be like Jesus, then you must be willing to endure even as Jesus endured. Now, you might say, “Well, I’m not that strong.” That’s true. You are not! But if you’ll let him, Jesus will complete and perfect your faith. Jesus trusted the Father perfectly in order to fulfill God’s will! And you must trust him, too. He will give you the strength to endure to the end! … LET JESUS COMPLETE AND PERFECT YOUR FAITH!

God Leads His Children

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.”
Isaiah 58:9–11

When Haldor Lillenas was putting together one of his first hymnals, he recalled a song he had learned soon after moving to America and learning English, God Leads Us Along. He wanted to include it, but needed permission from the writer. Lillenas tracked down the author’s widow who was living in a poorhouse, and she was delighted to have her husband’s song shared with others.
Despite her circumstances, she was rejoicing. She told Lillenas, “My husband and I were married while we were very young. God gave us a wonderful life together; he led us from day to day. But then God took my husband. Now God has led me here, and I’m so excited and glad about it! God has used me in this place. Many people come to this place and they are so sad and in such great need. They need help and comfort. I have been able to cheer many of them and lead scores of them to the Lord Jesus Christ.”
God does not promise us ease and comfort, but He does promise to guide us through this life and never leave us. He is just as present and loving in our moments of pain as in our moments of joy. And we must always trust His guidance.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Our responsibility is not to make our own path, but to follow wherever God leads us.

No Partiality

Yesterday, the message struck me and it ignites my hopes to believe, to continue and be refreshed. My project helps me make believe it! =)

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Choosing a Legacy

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.”
Psalm 145:1–4

Every one of us is going to leave a legacy of some kind. If you think of those who have gone before, whether friends or family, usually there are one or two words that sum up the main thrust of their lives. People are remembered for their generosity, their courage, their attitude, or perhaps a particular hobby or interest. Sometimes this legacy is a positive one, and sometimes it is not. Most people don’t like to think about the end of their lives, but each day we are building a legacy that we will leave behind. We do not choose it at the moment of our death, but over the course of each day we live.
There are few things that are more fitting for a Christian than to be known as a person who praises God. The impact of praise to God on our own lives is great, but the impact of that praise on others may be even more important. The stories passed down about what God did for Dad or how He answered a special prayer for Grandma are of enormous value. Each of us has so much for which to praise God, but unless we tell those stories to others, they will be lost. We have a responsibility to the future to be people of praise.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Every day you have the opportunity to choose the legacy you will leave to those who come after you.

Quote of the day

Understanding the Young

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The Necessity of Gratitude

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”
Ephesians 5:18–21

There are two major enemies of gratitude that keep many people from being thankful. The first is a sense of entitlement—the feeling that we deserve all of the good things we get. The second is a sense of greed—that we deserve even more than we get. Either of these attitudes stand in the way of living as thankful people. There is an old joke about a husband who wanted to get his wife something special for Christmas but didn’t have much money. He bought her a fur coat made of skunks. When she opened the package she said, “I can’t see how such a nice coat can come from such a foul smelling little beast.” Her husband responded, “I don’t ask for thanks, but I do demand some respect!”
Too many times we look at God’s good and gracious gifts, things which we do not deserve to receive at all, with contempt rather than thanksgiving. What we deserve is eternity in Hell. That would be getting what we have coming. The folly of Christians who, solely because of grace, have received salvation and innumerable blessings, complaining because they do not have everything they think they want is vast indeed. The Spirit-filled Christian does not gripe and murmur. Instead he rejoices and gives thanks in every situation. Many necessary things in life that come to us as part of God’s plan and purpose are not pleasant, but there are no times in which we cannot be grateful.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

God’s grace gives us far more than we deserve, and in every circumstance we can find cause for gratitude.

Repost: Good morning ... =)

Salt + Pepper: Good morning ... =): Remember, that set time is already in your future. Don’t let the negative thoughts talk you out of it. The way you know that you’re rea...

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For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. --Romans 8:18 We see it all the time in the Scripture: one person is spared from what seems like certain death, while another endures hardship and dies in faith. There’s a good example of what I’m talking about found in Acts 12. Herod took the life of James, a disciple of Jesus. And then, in the same chapter of Scripture, you and I read that Peter was delivered from prison by an angel. Perhaps you’ve read these stories and wonder why God does that. Well, let me tell you. It is because our God is a sovereign God. And he made the choices he did regarding James and Peter, in those particular situations, because he was reigning over every circumstance of their lives. And God is reigning over the circumstances of your life. Do you know that? The details of your life aren’t missed by him. There are no mistakes. Nothing’s getting past him. God is sovereign when your prayers are answered swiftly, and when they aren’t. He is sovereign through every stormy trial, when you suffer an injustice, and when you must walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Because he reigns, you can trust him with your life. GOD IS REIGNING OVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF YOUR LIFE.    The Practice of Prayer by Dr. Paul Chappell “Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.” Daniel 6:9–11 Daniel’s enemies in the Medo-Persian Empire resented his status and his ability. As they schemed against him, they realized they had no grounds to denounce him. In modern terms, they bugged his phone and hacked his email, but Daniel had no secrets that revealed wrong-doing or carelessness. He walked in integrity and did his work with diligence. (That should be true of all of us no matter what our field of work is in life.) Yet they did find one thing they could use, and that was Daniel’s utter devotion to his God. It was no secret to those around him that Daniel was a man of prayer. He had made it a habit for many years to pray at specific times during the day. This routine became the foundation of the plot they hatched against Daniel. Daniel did not start praying when a law was passed forbidding it—he just kept doing what he had always done. Someone said that too many people use prayer like a spare tire, only pulling it out in case of an emergency. Prayer should be a constant, habitual, ongoing, and serious part of our lives. It should be apparent to those who know us that we are people of prayer. The modern trend toward self-reliance is a great hindrance to prayer, because it keeps us from acknowledging our utter dependence on God. Prayer attacks our pride at its root. Prayer allows us to access the provision God has promised to those who seek His face.   Today’s Growth Principle:  Christians who are faithful and diligent about praying will be strong and effective in God’s work.

Reflection

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“… God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” --Daniel 3:17-18 I wonder what will happen when hardship and persecution increases in our country. I see so many people whose faith has become soft and sentimental. But God wants you and me to build enduring faith within us now by obediently persevering through life’s trials and difficulties. So that when even more trying times come we can be bold and strong in our faith. We need to be more like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego whom we meet in the book of Daniel. Even when threatened with death, these men refused to bow down to the king’s idol. Their faith in God was immovable and unshakable. And before King Nebuchadnezzar ordered them placed in a fiery furnace, they told the king they trusted God to deliver them, but regardless of the outcome, they’d never bow down to false gods! Do you have this kind of faith? Will you allow God to do this within you? Will you stand strong in your faith today? Let God develop enduring, stubborn, and steadfast faith within you now, and in days ahead, your faith will not fail! WILL YOU STAND STRONG IN YOUR FAITH TODAY?

Our Prayer Partner

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
Romans 8:26–27

Many of us are blessed to have a few close friends who really know how to pray. When we are facing difficult circumstances or trials, we often turn to these people and ask them to join us in seeking God’s help. It is a wonderful blessing to have such prayer support, and there is nothing wrong with asking others to pray for us and with us. It is a real encouragement to know that we are not alone in our praying.
But as Christians we have a far greater resource and partner in our praying—the Holy Spirit of God. All human prayer is necessarily limited. We lack full understanding of our circumstances, and we thus do not always know what the best solution to our problem is. Sometimes when we are convinced we know what God “should” do, we are completely off base. But our sincere prayers, offered in submission to the will of God, are heard and helped, even when they are misguided.
The Holy Spirit knows what is in our hearts and hears our sincere cries, even when they are not fully informed by His knowledge. In God’s grace our prayers are interpreted to what is best. Even better they are joined in by the Holy Spirit. And His intercession for us is not casual. Sometimes when we ask someone to pray with us about a need, their prayers are not intense. But the Holy Spirit is intensely involved in our prayer. This should give us great confidence as we wait for God to answer.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

We can trust the Holy Spirit to take our limited prayers and perfectly express them to the Father.

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Many people these days think that faith is a secret formula for escaping trials, suffering, and pain. But it’s simply not true. In fact, in some instances, it’s quite the opposite. What you and I see in today’s verses is a brief summary of what the martyrs experienced. And what we learn from these people is so important. These followers were tortured and beaten. They experienced emotional and physical anguish and mistreatment the likes of which most of us will never know. But even in the midst of such sacrifice and suffering they refused to deny their faith! They endured to the end! You may ask how they endured such suffering. So let me make this clear. They endured because they knew that faith is not immunity from pain! And more than that, they knew that their faith in God would sustain them and strengthen them through even the deepest, darkest times of their lives! I wonder, can you say that about your faith? Do you have a faith that endures through life’s harshest moments? Listen, you may never be called by God to endure what the martyrs endured, but it pleases God for you to endure, in faith, the trials that come your way. When hardship comes, trust God! Walk in obedience with him. He will see you through! … FAITH IS NOT IMMUNITY FROM PAIN!

Specific Prayers

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees? And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees. And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.”
2 Kings 20:9–11

It is true that our prayers must be in subjection to God’s will, but that does not mean that they have to be general and vague. We have been given the right to be bold and confident in coming before the throne of God and present our petition to Him. “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6).
Sometimes people do not offer specific prayers because they do not have confidence that they will receive an answer, and by generalizing their prayer, they make it so that it is not clear if an answer is received. This is the opposite of how we should pray. We should be clear and precise in what we ask so that we know when God answers. Again, we do not ask selfishly or presumptuously, but when we have a specific need, God cares. And if we ask in faith, we have every right to expect His help.
If you have a lost loved one or friend, do not pray just for God to save the lost—ask God for his or her salvation. If you have a financial burden, do not pray just for blessing, but for that specific need. Such definite prayer shows confidence in God’s promises, and makes it clear to everyone who hears about it that God still answers prayer.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Pray with confidence for specific things which you need, and rejoice when God answers.