n0klu's Rants

Dec 31, 2021 at 12:01 AM CST Topic: +DEV+   Teach Us To Pray Teach Us to Pray "One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."     Luke 11:1 Scripture Focus: Luke 11:1-4 When that one disciple asked Jesus to teach him and the others to pray, had he struggled with prayer as you and I do? Did his mind wander? Did he search for the right words? Did he wonder if prayer made a difference? Did he feel guilty for even having those doubts?       Jesus' brief, beautiful prayer recorded for us in Matthew 6 and Luke 11 gives us a structure to use in our own prayer time.   The Lord's Prayer might be a part of how you talk with God day in and day out. Prayers found in the Psalms may express just what you want to say. Or perhaps you've found prayers of others (in books like The Valley of Decision) to be helpful in guiding your thoughts.   You might incorporate int

  Dec 30, 2021 at 12:01 AM CST Topic: +DEV+     So Hard to Pray So Hard to Pray "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. ,For I have a desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out."       Romans 7:15, 18b Scripture Focus:   Romans 7:15-25 Whether you're a new believer or have been a Christian your entire life, you've probably been confronted by a frustrating incapability to be faithful in prayer. Why is it so hard? Like Paul in his struggle with sin, we wonder why we want to pray but just can't seem to carry it out the way we know we should.   We often forget to pray even when we've told a friend, "I'll be sure to pray about that for you." When we do, it's not unusual for us to last a short time before thoughts and worries creep in and distract. We're painfully aware that we are not "praying enough." Drawing near in daily conversation with our heavenly Father is hard. In hi

  Dec 29 2021 at 12:01 AM CST Topic: +DEV+     Resisting the Devil Resisting the Devil "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are- yet was without sin."       Hebrews 4:15 Scripture Focus: Hebrews 4:1-11 The Bible likens the devil to a "roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). He is the great deceiver who cunningly hunts his prey. He lies in wait, looking for opportunities to steal, kill, and destroy. Often he takes over our thoughts and lives so slyly that we hardly realize what has happened.   But 1 Peter 5 goes on to say that if we resist the devil and stand firm in the faith, the God of all grace will restore us and make us strong and steadfast. So how do we resist this roaring lion? We do so by looking to Christ. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He met Satan's twisted words and empty claims with the holy Word, "It is writ

  Dec 28, 2021 at 12:01 AM CST Topic: +DEV+     The Transforming Word The Transforming Word "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart."       Psalm 19:7-8a Scripture Focus:   Psalm 19:7-14 Have you ever met someone who radiated Christ in their countenance so much so that you just knew they were a follower of Jesus-even before they opened their mouth to say a word? Psalm 34:5 says that those who look to the Lord are radiant because the shadow of their shame has been removed. They are transformed by the gospel of grace, and their lives produce the blessed fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).   Their lives are connected to and flourishing in the one True Vine (John 15:5).       As Christians, we are called to "put off the old self " and be renewed in the thoughts and attitudes of our minds. In fact, we are told to let our minds dwell

  Dec 27, 2021 at 12:50 PM CST Topic: +DEV+     The Blessing The Blessing "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." Ephesians 1:3 Scripture Focus: Ephesians 1 One of my most cherished childhood memories is of my dad praying a blessing over my Sisters and me every evening after Family Alter. He would ask the Lord to cultivate in our love, zeal, and godly wisdom. He'd pray that Jesus would be the Cornerstone of our lives.   In time, I realized that my dad's blessing pointed to an even greater blessing.       In biblical times, receiving a father's blessing was significant. God made a covenant of blessing with Abraham (Genesis 12:2-3) that was to be passed down through the generations, all the way until the birth of Jesus, the Savior (Matthew 1:2-16).   Galatians 3:9 enlightens us to the good news that all who put their faith in Christ will share in the same blessing

  Dec 16, 2021 at 12:49 AM CST Topic: +DEV+     The Fear of the Lord The Fear of the Lord "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." "For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding."       Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 2:6 Scripture Focus: Proverbs 1:1-7 When I was in seventh grade, my wonderful church youth leader thought it would be fun to help us memorize Proverbs 1:7 by setting it to music. To this day, I still break out into song when recalling that verse. It has stuck with me all these years! The book of Proverbs reveals our desperate need for wisdom and instruction. Each time I recite my Proverbs song,   I remember what the foundation of wisdom is: the fear of the Lord. Before we can glean the rich harvest of knowledge and understanding that comes from the Lord, we must revere, worship, and obey Him. "Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods