We ask God to draw others to Himself

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day." - John 6:44, New American Standard Bible

It amazes me how some plants, like the arctic poppy in the photo to the right, grow towards the sun. That is known as heliotropism. Like those plants need the sun, we need our Creator God, the God who sent His Son to die for us and who can renew us on the inside.

At this point in John, Jesus was in His public ministry, right after He fed a bunch of people with a small amount of food (John 6:1-14). He was teaching about the bread of life, and how our source of life is from God (John 6:25-35). God draws us with everlasting love and kindness (Jeremiah 31:3), and we can see that in how God sent His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins and then was raised from the dead (John 6:39).

Let us pray that God draws others who do not know Him yet towards Christ. We can pray this in hopes that they can experience life with our Savior, too.

Lord, thank You for bringing us life. Please draw this person on our mind, the one who doesn't know You, to Yourself. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999)
Photo above from www.plant-and-flower-guide.com/heliotropism
John Fowler has some striking photos of arctic poppies online at johnfowler.photoshelter.com

We pray for boldness

"'And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence'...And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered was shaken, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness." -Acts 4:29, 31, New American Standard Bible

Two prominent Christian leaders, Peter and John, had just come out of a trial in the courts, where they were warned not to share their faith. As you can imagine, believers who followed Christ dove into prayer. They asked God for confidence to share His message. Even in the face of potential danger and risk, they looked to the Lord to give them boldness to continue to share Christ with others.

After the prayer, God answered them by giving them this confidence and boldness through the Holy Spirit. Even today, the Holy Spirit can help us see past whatever may threaten to block us from sharing Christ, so we can speak freely and with no reservations. He gives believers the courage to speak what He has done through His Son, Jesus, dying for us, and how God continues to work in our lives today. No matter what is on the road ahead, let us pray for the courage to continue to share the great love and grace God has shown us, especially through the sacrifice Christ made for us, so that more people may know God's forgiveness.

Lord, thank You for giving Your Holy Spirit to believers. Fill us with boldness to share Your love and message of hope with others, so that we honor You and so others can experience life with You, too. Amen.

More on these verses: Acts 4:1-31 - biblegateway.com

YouTube.com music video clip - "You Make Beautiful Things" by Gungor

Study based on the workbook, HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).

We pray for the words to say

"'Do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.'" -Luke 12:11b-12 (New American Standard Bible)

With the U.S. presidential elections approaching, I remembered an old video clip I saw once in high school with presidential bloopers. You can find a similar, more updated video at www.youtube.com - presidential bloopers video. Even our nation's leaders, who speak so often, can make mistakes in their speech. 

God asks believers to share Him and spread His good news, as we can read from Matthew 28:19-20, but sometimes we can wonder what exactly we would say. When God asked Moses to speak to Pharaoh, Moses was pretty raw in expressing his doubt that he was the man for the job. God pointed out that He is the Creator of all things - He made the mouth, and He gives people the ability to speak. He said, "'Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say'" (Exodus 4:12, New American Standard Bible).

God asks us to trust Him and follow His lead. He will help us follow His will. As believers, God has given us the Holy Spirit to give us the words to say as we witness to who He is. So, there is no need to fear. When we are His, we are not walking alone. As we try to explain this relationship we have with Him to others, He will give us the words to say.

Lord, thanks for being Immanuel, God with us. Be with us as we explain who You are to others. Give us the words to say through Your Spirit. Amen.

Image - http://blog.keepstream.com

Study based on the workbook, HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).

Growing your leadership strengths

What has God called you to do to lead others? How can God help you grow in the strengths He has given you?

On July 30-31, 2012, the North American Mission Board hosted the SEND North America Conference at First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Georgia. Church leaders, church planters, and others joined in worship, breakouts and discussions. Through these sessions, they sought to share and gain wisdom in how we can reach the world today with God's message of salvation.

One breakout led by Jaye Martin, called "Growing My Leadership Strengths," talked through how you can grow as a leader and become more effective in the skills you need to follow God's call. A link to the audio from this breakout session may be found at the link below. Also, panel discussions, question and answer sessions, and sermons can be found from the conference at the link below it. May God fill You with wisdom and encouragement in how He is leading you to grow and lead for Him today.

www.namb.net - SNA Conference - "Growing Your Leadership Strengths" Audio with Jaye Martin

www.namb.net - SNA Conference - Audio/Video

Image above from http://www.namb.net/SendNetwork/Resources/

We ask for power

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you will be My witnesses both in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and Samaria,
and even to the remotest part of the earth."
-Acts 1:8, New American Standard Bible

As Jesus was leaving the earth, He told His disciples to share the good news of His sovereign grace. He told the disciples they would not be alone in this. We may not physically see Jesus, God in flesh,  but we know that God sends the Holy Spirit to believers to guide us. The Holy Spirit has power, because the Spirit is a part of who God is. The thing about our own power is that it is not perfect or strong when we compare it to God's holy and almighty power.

Luke continues in Acts to explain how the Holy Spirit worked in the lives of disciples committed to sharing Jesus' message. In Acts 8:1b we can read, "And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles." Acts 8:4-5 explains how Philip began sharing His faith, "Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them." In Acts 8:26-39, we can read how God led Philip to share who He was with a eunuch from Ethiopia. You see, God was making things happen. Word of Him and the power of His salvation was being spread across different peoples and communities. What He had instructed the apostles to do, to share His message with the world, was happening before their eyes as they trusted in His power to lead them and speak through them.

Lord, thanks for being there for us, and thank You for the transformation You make in people. Give us faith and power to reach out and share, to share who You are and Your love, to a world in need. Amen.

Devotion based on a guided prayer in the workbook, HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999)

Clip art "Dove in Glasswindow" by Stefanvon Halenbach (openclipart.com)

What's the book of John about?

"But these things have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name." 
-John 20:31, New American Standard Bible

What's the gospel of John about? In a video from www.godtube.com and biblestudytools.com, Jaye explains the focus of this book, what it says about God, and how it relates to us today:

"What is the book of John all about?" - www.godtube.com

We pray that we be obedient

"And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:18-19, NASB).

These verses make up the climax of Matthew's gospel. After Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection, Jesus, God in flesh, asked disciples to be the "through" - His instruments to tell the world of His great message. Instruments, like the guitars pictured, can help musicians communicate a sort of message. As believers, our message tells of how God's great love is demonstrated, in that He would die for and forgive sinners like us (Romans 5:8).

Jerry Rankin and Ed Stetzer wrote:

"We, just like Israel, are to be instruments of His mission
to make His way and His salvation known upon the earth
until all nations rejoice and sing His praise" (Spiritual Warfare and Missions, p. 21).

Together, with the power of the Holy Spirit, believers can make a beautiful symphony, as we worship our Lord and share who He is with others who don't know Him yet.

More reading on this: 1 Chronicles 16:7-36, Romans 6:12-14

Dear Lord, thank you for Your faithfulness and sacrifice. Please help us remember how much we need You and how much others need You, too.  Make us into your instruments in making disciples and helping others know You. Amen.

This devotion based on the guided prayer in HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart workbook (Jaye Martin, 1999).

Photo of Ibanez guitars from guitaristmaximus.com