Dirty Bible, Clean Heart

  " And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever He chose ." -Hebrews 2:4 Have you ever asked God for something big in your life? Maybe financial freedom, bodily healing, or the dream of having a child. The prayers that seem biggest to us are truly nothing for God. But many times we forget that. In the midst of our tear-filled prayers, we act as if our requests are too hard, complex, or big for even God Himself. And if this line of thinking is prolonged, our doubts will fool us into believing that perhaps God does not want to answer our prayers...that miracles are a thing of ages past. But the record of Scripture shows a different picture. All throughout God's Word we see a God who brings water from a rock (Ex 17:5-6), fights against our enemies (2 Kings 19:35), and heals those fighting illnesses and in bondage to evil spirits (Matt 8:16). We, through our own weakness and unbelief, oftentimes place G...

  "During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears...and he was heard because of his reverent submission.  Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered ..." -Hebrews 5:7-8 Last fall, which considering present global circumstances seems like ages ago, I remember having lunch with a friend. We were catching up and began talking about what God was doing in each of our lives. The prayer requests that we had, places God was leading us into, etc. As the conversation progressed, my friend said something to me that really caught my attention. She said, "you know I have this special type of relationship with God that basically anytime I ask Him for something He just does it for me!" As I thought about her statement, my friends words really resonated with me. Although God had not yet answered every single prayer request at that time, I did think that for the most part I pretty much received wh...

  "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all-- how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?" Maybe no one knows or perhaps everyone does but God knows. In fact, it's become your number one prayer request. And even if you haven't mentioned it that much, deep inside you want to. You desperately want to ask God to do this one thing for you but perhaps you don't because it's so precious that should you ask and not receive it, the disappointment would be overwhelming. After much wishing and praying the day comes when God gives you His word that He will do it!  He is going to fulfill that desire of your heart. Tears of joy run down your face as you wonder in awe at God's love and kindness that He should give you such a wonderful promise. Faith fills your heart and thanksgiving your lips. But what you may not realize in that moment of ecstasy is that between God giving you a promise and Him actually fulfilling it is a four-...