Drink Deeply

DAY THIRTY-ONE

Surely you have heard it said before in previous generations “You don’t miss your water until the well runs dry.” Many people take water for granted until there is too much water or too little. When there is not enough water to drink the body craves liquid nourishment. Thirst becomes a powerful motivator pushing you to seek satisfaction and survival.

Jesus was teaching at the Feast of Tabernacle in the gospel of John. It commemorated God’s gift of rain and the exodus. For seven days an impressive possession carried water to the temple. The water was poured on the altar.

On the final day of celebration Jesus stood at a critical moment and said, “If a man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. (John 7: 37-39) The Lord presents himself as the ultimate source of the believer’s life.

The people who drink from the ceremonial waters will be thirsty again. Only Jesus satisfies. Everyone who comes and drinks the water that He gives will never thirst. (John 4: 13) Come beloved drink deeply!

For the past 31 days, you have come to Praycation to drink from the word of God, pray, praise, study and be silent in the presence of the Lord. We take a Praycation because it is a needed break from the ordinary just like a vacation is a step away from routine activities. It creates space to reflect and restore before your well runs dry of water. It has been a refreshing journey to help us end one season before beginning another.

It is my prayer that you have been blessed. I hope that Praycation has propelled you into your own quest to drink from the waters the Lord offers to us. If you are just starting or your started and stopped…never fear. Just go back into the journey archived on this site. Drink deeply!

I will continue to share my prayers and the prayers of others on our Selah/Praycation blog. I will lead a prayer intensive again at the beginning of he season of Advent in November.

You are invited to join us early Thursday morning, September 1, 2011 for our final Praycation Summer Conference Call. You can share your prayer experiences on the call or in the comment section on this site. Just call 1-218-936-2800, access code 812713 at 6 AM CDT/ 7 AM EDT for prayer, testimony and study.

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“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

John 7: 37-38

Lord, I come to drink deeply from the only source who can quench my thirst for righteousness and become a fountain of living water like a spring whose waters will not fail.

Now, let us sing this praise song:

"I've got a river of life flowing out of me! Makes the lame to walk, and the blind to see. Opens prison doors, sets the captives free! I've got a river of life flowing out of me! Spring up, O well, within my soul! Spring up, O well, and make me whole! Spring up, O well, and give to me that life abundantly."

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The Worm Turns

DAY THIRTY

There have been wild fires, devastating tornados, killer hurricanes and earthquakes in unusual places this summer. When so many events occur which are beyond our control, it can make one feel weak or powerless. There is help!

A worm can be easily crushed. It can be trampled under foot or under a machine. In contrast, a threshing sledge’s sharp teeth can cut through rock and hard soil without being broken. Yet, God can transform one into the other.

Our God can transform the weak and powerless with Holy Ghost power. Our God can make us stronger than our circumstances. Our God can help us cut through the toughest times without breaking.

“Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob…I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth.”

Isaiah 41: 14-15

Lord, today empower and energize me to cut through tough times without being broken or bruised.

PRAYCATION - A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY 2011 EDITION

Beloved, if you haven't done so already, join this journey today. Everyday throughout the month of August, there is a daily message, simple sentence prayers and other Praycation Practices to help you break away from your ordinary devotion routine. Go back to Day One and read all about. Share your prayer experiences in the comment section. Send this invitation to someone else or tweet and facebook it!

We will have a special Praycation Conference Call on Thursday, September 1, 2011 to culminate this walk with God! Call 1-218-936-2800, access code 812713. Make your calendars now!

An Inner Stillness

DAY TWENTY-NINE

I remember when my brother called to tell me that my father was in the midst of transition from life to death. It was early in the morning before the birds would sing at the rising of the sun.

Instead of quiet anxiety an inner stillness took over. In that moment it was the still small voice of God that spoke to my heart..." when your father and mother forsake you, I will take you up." It was in that moment that I began to know God in a new and marvelous way.

No matter what happens today pursue the inner stillness instead of quiet anxiety that leads to divine revelation. It is an absolute necessity to your growing knowledge of God.

“Their strength is to sit still.”

Isaiah 30:7

Lord, create in me an inner stillness so that I may know you in new and marvelous ways.

And It Is So!

DAY TWENTY-EIGHT

Have you ever had to pray through something? Praying through can mean praying while you’re in the midst of circumstances beyond your control. Praying without ceasing while you’re in the middle of direction and destinations issues.

Pray continually while be constantly accused. Praying until you have reached full faith or complete assurance and complete confidence that God will respond to what you have asked. It is complete trust that nothing on earth can hinder the immutable Word of God. God will keep all of God’s promises even in an uncertain world.

“And God said…And it was so.”

Genesis 1:9

Lord, today and everyday I live with complete confidence that you are ready to do for me according to your Word and to my faith.

Early Warning System

DAY TWENTY-SEVEN

Mornings are a critically important time of the day. Grace stirs the body and mind to face a new day full of potential. It is a time to face God before facing the world and talk to God before talking to anyone else. You really can’t expect to be victorious in your day on your idea and strength alone…right? Plan and begin the work of the day after you’ve check in with your heavenly headquarters. You may receive a message from God’s early warning system or a heads-up about an opportunity.

Plan to meet God in prayer regularly and you will be prepared to face the ordinary with extraordinary favor! Remember your breathing prayer: Exhale Lord I need you. Inhale, Lord I receive you as shared by John Ogilvy. (Go to Day One) Use it throughout the day.

“Be ready in the morning, then come up…Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. No one is to come with you.”

Exodus 34: 2-3

Lord, early in the morning I am ready to seek your face to know you, seek your hand to guide me and seek your anointing to empower me.

No Never

DAY TWENTY-SIX

My Lord God,

I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that, if I do this, You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Thomas Merton

Thoughts in Solitude (pg. 83)

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Hebrews 13: 5 (Deuteronomy 31: 6)

Hallelujah Lord, you are my never changing Christ in an ever-changing world never leaving me to face my perils alone.

Sacrificial Love

DAY TWENTY-THREE

What does a good day look like? Perhaps it is a day when you get to indulge, pamper or promote yourself. In God’s economy, a good day is when you give instead of taking, serve instead of being served or consider others better than yourselves.

Our culture tells us grab all the gusto we can because life is not a dress rehearsal. God’s Word tells us if you lose your life, you’ll find it, deny yourself and have the time of your life; the least is the greatest and the first will be last and the last first.

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.”

Philippians 2:3

Lord, forgive me for the times I have succumbed to a self-indulgent, self-ambitious conceited lifestyle and fill my heart with a sacrificial love to serve instead of being served.

Imageo Dei

DAY TWENTY-TWO

We are created in the image of God! Yet sin, doubt and fears can distort what is seen.

We can become more like Christ every moment, minute and hour of the day if we trust our lives to His workmanship. God will shape us “along the same lines as his Son.” (Romans 8:29) It is like putting on a pair of rubber gloves. The material shapes or molds itself to your hand. In the same way we put on Christ. Our lives then take on the shape of our Redeemer.

“We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.”

Ephesians 2:10

Lord, I submit the threads of my life to your workmanship to be woven into a tapestry that reflects the true image of Christ.

Glory Declared

DAY TWENTY-ONE

What is the number one thing on our “to do” list today? It is to declare the glory of God. In Hebrew the word translated as glory comes from the root word meaning, important, weighty or heavy. God’s glory, wrote one author, celebrates God’s significance, uniqueness and one-of-a-kindness. God is glorious, awesome, holy, powerful and great worthy of all praise and adoration!

The psalmist writes that heaven exits to declare the glory of God. (Psalm 19:1) Those who are come near God, God must regard as holy and before all the people God must be glorified. (Leviticus 10: 3) Today ask the Lord to show you in what way can your life declare the glory of God.

“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.”

Psalm 29: 2

Lord, help me to live in such a way, that just like the heavens, my life declares your glory everyday.

Too Busy to Pray

DAY TWENTY

Truth? Most of us struggle with prayer. We forget to pray or there is never seems to be enough time for prayer. We pray and fall asleep. We pray and our thoughts begin to scatter over a wide range of subjects. We do quick panic prayers instead of patiently kneeling at the feet of our savior.

One of the amazing thing about prayer is that it doesn’t require a degree from an institution of higher learning, a uniform or a budget. It can be done at any time, anywhere by anyone.

The enemy of our souls doesn’t mind that we go to church, teach Sunday school, preach and do outreach ministry. This enemy gets real nervous when we pray because the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual that can destroy the enemies’ stronghold.

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“Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.”

Colossians 4:2

Ever Listening Lord, thank you for the privilege to speak freely with you at any time and place with our praise, confessions, thanksgiving and petitions.

Face it!

DAY EIGHTEEN

One of our young adults is afraid of bugs…any bug, any size and anywhere. She will stand frozen screaming until someone comes to rescue her from the spider or Daddy Long Legs.

Everyone is afraid of something. It may not be bugs for you but it could be the fear of failure or success. Some are afraid of standing out in a crowd and others are afraid they won’t fit in. Fear can be an early warning system or a stumbling block.

Fear can say its prayers and become courage. If there is something you’re afraid of that is holding you down or holding you back. Pray. Face it and move on.

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“God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and sound mind.”

2 Timothy 2:9

Lord, I refuse to take what you didn’t give me and freely receive the power; love and sound mind that you gave me.

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Remember to breathe: exhale, Lord I need you; inhale, Lord I receive you. When fear tries to block your blessing repeat this breathing prayer and move on.

Call in this morning to the Praycation Conference Call for our time of prayer, testimony and study. You can just call on at 6 AM CDT/ 7 AM EDT 1-218-936-2800, access code 812713. September 1^st will be our next Praycation call. Send this invitation to someone you know!

Left Alone with God

DAY SEVENTEEN

There are many people who are afraid to be left alone with God. Being alone to some people means loneliness, grief and sadness. Other people see being alone as a time of peace, quiet and rest. You can be alone, without being lonely.

To be left alone without God can be horrendous. Being left alone with God can be a transforming experience.

Moses was alone with God at the burning bush café. Gideon was alone when God commissioned him to save Israel. Peter was alone on the rooftop when he was instructed to go the Gentiles. John the Baptist was alone in the wilderness. The beloved disciple John was alone on the Isle of Patmos. Each received their marching orders when they were alone with God.

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“So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.”

Genesis 32: 24

Lord, forgive me when I think I have figured it all out or know-it-all as I accept your invitation to sit alone patient in your presence to hear, ponder and obey.

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Don’t let God go until the blessing comes!

Remember apart of Praycation is the study of God’s Word. Go to a Bible study in a local congregation. You could gather a few friends to study together or study alone. There are lots of Bible resources at your local Christian bookstore or on-line. Study the Bible verses given weekly on this site or begin to read through the Bible in one year. The one-year Bible verses are found on the right lower side of the home page.

Early tomorrow morning is our bi-monthly Praycation Conference Call. Mark your calendars, set your alarm and tag your digital agendas for our time of prayer, testimony and study. You can just call on at 6 AM CDT/ 7 AM EDT 1-218-936-2800, access code 812713. Send this invitation to someone you know!

Laugh With God

DAY SIXTEEN

Charles Spurgeon tells the story of riding home after a hard day’s work. He was very tired and very depressed. Ever been there?

Spurgeon said that suddenly as a lightening bolt God’s Word came to him: “My grace is sufficient for you.” When he got home he looked up the verse and laughed. That verse seemed to make unbelief totally absurd.

He concludes by saying that little faith will bring souls to heaven, but great faith will bring heaven to your souls. There is a large balance credited to our account waiting for us to exercise our faith to draw upon God’s not Wall Street, the White House, the Worker’s salary, pension or any of humankind’s resources.

“My grace is sufficient for you.”

2 Corinthians 12:9

Lord, by faith I download from your vast resources sustenance for survival and grace sufficient to soar.

This Thursday is our Praycation Summer Conference Call at 6 AM CDT/7AM EDT 1-218-936-2800, access code 812713. Hear a message, share your testimony or praise report and/or make your prayer requests known. Join us and invite others to do the same!

God Works!

DAY FIFTHTEEN

The psalmist reminds us during our Praycation sojourn that God works in Psalm 37: 5. The meaning of the verse is “Roll your way onto Jehovah and trust Him, and He works.” Whatever we bring to God’s attention and roll onto God immediately God goes into action. Our expectation that God will work in God’s own time and way is what enables the Holy Spirit to do what we have “rolled” onto him. It is out of our hands.

“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this.”

Psalm 37: 5

Lord, I roll onto you every challenge, crises and concern knowing that you are working on it right now!

Remember to pray your Simple Sentence Prayer daily and breathe. Exhale, Lord I need you. Inhale, Lord, I receive you.

Wait or Walk

DAY FOURTEEN

Welcome to week two of Praycation – a Spiritual Journey throughout the month of August. It is my prayer that you are drawing closer to the Lord using as many Praycation Practices as your can. They are your breathing prayer, 31 minutes of prayer, 31 seconds of silence, 31 seconds of praise and at least 31 minutes of studying God’s Word per week.

I also added an Evening Review. Take a few minutes each evening and review the events of the day. See where you stayed on course, strayed from the course and/or need course correction for the next day.

Let me know in the comment section your Praycation experiences. Please share this invitation to someone else.

This Thursday is our bi-monthly Praycation Summer Conference Call. Mark your calendars and tag your digital agendas for the first and third Thursday every month for 30 minutes of prayer, testimony and study. Just call this Thursday, August 17^th at 6 AM CDT/ 7 AM EDT 1-218-936-2800, access code 812713. Join us!

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Discerning direction and destination issues can be filled with doubts and difficulty. Fear tramples faith especially when well-meaning friends suggest conflicting courses of action.

Get alone with God where your questions can be asked without the intrusion of the world or the opinions of others. Listen. Wait in silent anticipation for God’s voice telling you which way to wait or to walk.

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind your saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’”

Isaiah 30:21

Lord, give me the courage to wait on your distinct unmistakable sense of direction and then to walk in it.

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God's Covering

DAY THIRTEEN

Sometimes the things that keep us up late at night are more than dietary issues. An emotional hurt or pain, a disappointment, an attack, grief, a loss or the memory of a cruel injustice can sweep over us ruining more than one night’s sleep.

A young child wrote her experience of wrestling with great agonies in the midnight hour. She wrote that as she cried out to God, she heard in response “Love covers all”. She mentally dug a deep grave. She buried the offense that had wounded her heart and covered it with dirt. Her testimony is that she covered the hole with green sod and planted white roses and forget-me-nots on top and walked away.

Restful sleep found her once again and the issues that wounded her so deeply healed without a scare. God’s love completely covered her grief.

“Love covers all wrongs”

Proverbs 10:12

Lord, I bury all of the people; places and things that have caused me grieve into your love that has the power to cover all wrongs.

An Evening Review

DAY TWELVE

Gorham D. Abbot wrote in 1833 Rules for Daily Conduct. We are to make God’s Word the rule by which we act. We do all things by the power God and in strength of Christ and do all to the glory of God. In the evening, you review. Love it!

While waiting on sustenance or as you are careening towards sleep do an Evening Review. Set aside a moment in the evening for confession, course correction and counsel. Review the events of the day. Thank God for whatever grace and mercy showed up on your behalf throughout the day. Ask God to help you discern the meaning of the events that took place or the personalities you encountered. Confess sins, receive forgiveness and give forgiveness. Release, relax and rest!

“And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at he eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw…”

Genesis 24: 63

Lord, by your grace I will set aside an evening moment to savor the events of the day and seek wise counsel for tomorrow.

Remember to breathe. Add the Evening Review to your daily Praycation Practices: Daily First-thing-in-the-morning breathing prayer, 31 minutes of prayer, 31 seconds of silence, 31 seconds of praise and weekly, at least 31 minutes studying God’s Word.

Share this invitation with others. Be sure to share you prayer experiences in the comment section.

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Take Direction

DAY SEVEN

The “first-thing-in-the-morning-prayer” breathing prayer exercise is not a substitute for praying. Praycation is an opportunity to grow deeper in prayer. The goal is 31 minutes of prayer daily for the rest of the month of August. If you can find hours to tweet, text, talk, facebook and blog, surely you can find a mere 31 minutes to talk to God! How? Go on a social network fast for 31 minutes per day.

“O Lord, direct our hearts to the love of God and the endurance of Christ.”

2 Thessalonians 3:5

Lord, open the eyes of my heart today so that I may see your clearly while your love overwhelms my very being.

Going Fishing

DAY SIX

Fish are to be found in deep waters, not along the shallow shore. Praycation is a way to draw you into the deep things of God. It is your invitation set sail into the deep of God’s heart and God’s Word where the Holy Spirit will open to us profound and prophetic truth.

“Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch.”

Luke 5:4

Lord, today I cut the cords holding me to a shallow faith and set sail for the deep things of God.

Praycation is a spiritual journey to stroll through the things of God to gain a greater understanding of the will and way of our Lord. Share this invitation with someone else!

Washing Day

DAY THREE

There is a joy that comes from the moments we confess our sins, receive forgiveness and give, praising God and praying. Praycation today takes us to Psalm 51 where David cries out to God to be washed, cleansed and purged. He had trudge around in sin and felt filthy. He longed to taste again the sweet fellowship with God like in his early years.

Take time this week in your 31 minutes of study to read Psalm 51. Walk slowly through each passage confessing as God restores unto you the joy of salvation giving you a spirit to sustain you. (Verse 12)

“Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”

Psalm 51: 2

Lord, create in me a clean heart, renew a right spirit and restore unto me the joy of salvation today.