How sweet this is to our Heavenly Father to hear His kids call out to Him. “Reconcito de Amor!” What a blessing! In translation it means “Corner of Love!” So before my feet touch the floor, all cozy in my bed, all the plans I have for today get put on pause with a smile. My Father placed me in this tiny 800 year old fishing village, in this awesome corner of His glorious love! My first rising joy is to give thanks for another sunrise. Lord, I give you my body, mind, and soul as a living sacrifice today. I trust that Your schedule includes me and I don’t want to miss Your gentle stir or the nudge to take notice. Holy Spirit, IF You plan to show up in an unusual way in my life today, I ask to be rattled. Holy Spirit push me hard enough that the alarm of my awareness sounds loudly. Now I’m ready to get busy with a heart overflowing with gratitude. Lord, thank You for Your lavish love, grace, and mercies that enrich and fortify me for the task ahead.

“Our conversation with others declares what is on our minds. But our conversation with God in private reveals what is in our hearts. Listen to yourself pray—and you gain a window into the very center of your soul.” Alistair Begg – Our soul is the place that hears what our hearts silently think. God gave our hearts ears to hear what the Spirit of God is saying. We gladly pour out our hearts to our Father, for we trust His loving kindness. We know He is quick to listen, slow to anger, and He forgives us with the assurance of His immense, constant love.

1 John 3:1-3 “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. All who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure.” Paul reminds us “when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” Galatians 4:6-7

Biblical hope is not a wish for a better experience or day. It is our joyful expectation for God to show up right where we are. Any inheritance requires a death in order to be received. Oh, how marvelous it is that we will receive God Himself as our reward! There is no other inheritance on earth that can compare! God sent His Spirit to enable us to relate to Him—to speak to Him—as His kids. This is so fantastic! Saul—a first-century Roman persecutor of Christians – was blinded by a rage over the claims of Jesus! That He came to fulfill the law and to set the captives free, and heal the sick! Preposterous! Am I prisoner of anger, resentment or bitterness?

Then, the resurrected Jesus met Saul on his journey and blinded him. Jesus told Saul where to meet someone who would bless and pray for him. Saul’s rage melted, and his sight was restored. His heart instantly changed and he became the apostle Paul. A supremely gifted evangelist, a Jesus follower, a vigorous church planter. This once respected Jewish theologian—became an enemy of Rome. He was stoned, shipwrecked, bitten by snakes, and imprisoned for his faith. His letters written from prison give us an opportunity to see his soul. Anger or revenge was not in his heart, but love and concern for other persecuted believers.

I enjoy listening repeatedly to Alistair Begg’s book entitled “Pray Big”. A quote: “To pray is an admission and an expression of our personal dependence on God. A self-assured person is not going to petition God; there’s no need to pray if you think you have got it all covered. A self-righteous person is not going to speak prayers of confession.” Many believe there is no need to repent or pray again for God’s forgiveness since they prayed the sinners prayer.  Our Father’s continual blessing comes with our continual gratitude for His grace and mercy. “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:14-21

Paul made many mistakes and survived many hardships. With perseverance, he chose to achieve great things. His ministry literally changed the world. His preaching set a gospel fire that stretched from Jerusalem up through Turkey into Greece and west to Rome. Few people have had as great an impact. HOWEVER, if we choose to humbly pray for others as Paul did, our Father will use our petitions to change us, and our communities.

What to say to God in prayer? What posture of heart to take to our Father? There are many books on prayer and my library just added a new favorite. This post includes a brief review of Alistair Begg’s book entitled “Pray Big”. The audiobook is narrated by the humble Scostman himself. Alistair loves old hymns and in all of his books he shares a few that enhance my listening pleasure. 🎶 Our Father loves us intensely and spending time in connection ❤️ with Him does renew our minds with such great hope. I share this because Alistair reveals his personal struggle with what to pray. His admission soothes my concern as it gave me great encouragement to pray for others.

Abba Father, thank You for Your immeasurable love and the promise of our glorious inheritance which is eternity with You. Your beloved servants are ready for the HARVEST You prepared in advance. We pray with authority for those God places on our hearts. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, who has blessed all followers of JESUS with every spiritual blessing.” Abba Father we ask that the Spirit of God personally minister to — (our kids by name, the sick, our family and friends) give them wisdom, discernment and revelation, so that they may know God. Lord, we pray that they place their HOPE in the reality of a secure place in heaven that God has prepared for them, for eternity. Lord, open the eyes of their hearts. Enlighten them, Lord, in order that they may know the HOPE to which JESUS has called them. Oh God, assure them of Thy incomparably great power. Increase their faith in God’s word. Help them to deal with defeat, sadness, and hard times by FAITH in Jesus. Make them aware of the promises gifted to all adopted children of God. Allow them to experience God’s majesty and the fullness of HIM. Lord, I pray that the Holy Spirit minister His power of deliverance and resurrection in them. We pray for the joy found in comprehending the love of God through corporate worship. Amen 🙏 We shout Glory to God for the prayer of Ephesians 1.

Heavenly Father, as servants we bow before You in glad submission to pray for those You place in our lives. When I hear of the suffering of divorce, suicide, sadness, drug addiction, sex trafficking, and hopelessness in this world, my heart grieves. Many of us have fasted and prayed. “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayers of Your servants. I confess the sins of every servant in Israel, USA, Canada, and Mexico, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against our Creator. We have acted wickedly toward God and have acted selfishly and not obeyed the commands, decrees, and laws of our heavenly Father. Lord, let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servants who delight in proclaiming the name of Jesus as Lord of all. Grant us favor and gives us eyes to see and ears to hear and a HOPE that cannot be shaken. Give us the riches of Your glory, which is our promised assured inheritance, to one day stand before You face to face.” A Nehemiah prayee for God’s favor.