And He said to them, "It is written,'My house shall be called a house of prayer,’…”
Matthew 21:13 NKJV

Friday, March 30, 2012

Are You Praying Effectively?

Bonnie Stebbins
Church on the Rock - Melbourne

Do you want your prayers answered? Of course you do. After all, that is one reason you pray. Jesus gave us a clue to assuring we receive what we want.
He said, “If you abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.” (Jn 14:7)

Jesus said his words should live in us. The most effective prayer is done by the person who reads God’s word and believes it. That person can then pray back God’s promises to Him. He can say, “God, I am reminding you that you said this, and I am believing you to be true to your word. Do as You said.” Prayer not based on God’s promises has no foundation to stand on. The promises of God reflect His will. As we base our prayers on those promises we can know we pray the will of God.

But ask yourself – do you really want God’s will? Studying and meditating on God’s word gives the Holy Spirit opportunity to change our hearts. As we walk out God’s word in our lives, as it becomes a part of us, our will comes in tune with God’s will. Then as we pray those promises, we will desire those things that touch God’s heart. Faith in God’s word and His promises will grow in our hearts.

God’s word and faith together release the power of God. He said it, we believe it, we pray it, and He does it. What has God promised? Find out. Read His word.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Hungry for More?


Kelly Franklin
Freedom Christian Center

I have been thinking about the verse in Matthew 5:6, that says "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." I have often felt the need for God’s filling in the midst of my daily activities. I am sure you have experienced this too. Yet, I have not always positioned myself to sit at His table and be filled. Why?

If I am honest with myself, I have not been hungry―really hungry to know God! Yes, I know about him, but I do not have that insatiable hunger for ALL the things of God. If I were truly hungry, I would desperately seek to find the food I am in need of. God’s word is clear, if I choose to hunger and thirst after Him, he will fill me. It is a promise, a reward to me for seeking Him. He is a good Father, a Father who wants to bless his children and meet their needs. He wants to meet your needs! He wants to fill you and fill me. Luke 1:53 says, “He has filled the hungry with good things.” He desires to meet us where we are and fill us up. All we have to do is position ourselves at His table with an appetite and expectancy to receive from Him. It seems so simple, doesn’t it?

So, how hungry are you? Do you want to be filled? God desires to fill you up, full and overflowing. The choice is yours.

Isaiah 55:11 “Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters.”

Friday, March 16, 2012

You Go First

Tony Hauck
Church on the Rock - Melbourne


I’ve always loved Psalm 110:3, “Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power.” Now truthfully, it’s not difficult to get people to volunteer for God when His power is present, and that’s probably how most of us would interpret this verse. But what if we have it backwards?

I think our tendency as a church is to be passive, waiting on a Sovereign God to initiate so we can respond. But what if that verse is really saying when my people volunteer freely it will usher in the day of my power? What if He’s waiting for us to initiate something?

Could it be that God is sitting up there looking around, just waiting to back with His power some people who whole heartedly fast and pray and seek Him? Hanani thought so. That’s the seer in 2 Chronicles 16:9 who said, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”

Look at it this way. When His power does come to the church, it wrecks our schedules anyway. Why not act like we expect His power and go ahead and build our schedules around Him now?