One Likes it Hot

You may have heard about (or experienced) the unusually hot weather we've been having in California. I have found it very easy to be discontent and complain, at least inside my head, about the weather. We have had air conditioning failures in our home and car. Life was at times uncomfortable. I had to continually remind myself that God is sovereign over the weather, and this current heat wave was part of His perfect plan for my life.

The same pattern can occur in our spiritual lives. We may prefer to be comfortable. God likes it hot; He wants us to be 'on fire' for Him, whole-heartedly devoted to Him.

Deuteronomy 6:5--And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

2 Chronicles 16:9a--For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.

Romans 12:10-11--Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord

Revelation 3:15-16--I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.

God is sovereign over all the circumstances, events, and people in our lives. His desire is not that we might be comfortable, but that we might be comformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:28,29).

So join me in using hot weather to remember that God is sovereign, and I need to be focused on zealously delighting in Him, not my own comfort. He likes it hot!

Praying for One Another

As I have been reading 1 & 2 Thessalonians the last couple of months, I have been greatly encouraged by Paul's example of praying for these believers. He prays for them frequently (1 Th 1:2 give thanks to God always for all of you, 1 Th 1:3 constantly bearing in mind, 1 Th 2:13 constantly thank God, 1 Th 3:10 we night and day keep praying, 2 Th 1:11 we pray for you always) and with intensity (1 Th 3:10 earnestly).

These books contain specific examples of Paul's prayers:

1 Thess 3:11-13
Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

1 Thess 5:23
Now may the God of peace Himself sancitfy you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thess 1:11-12
To this end we pray for you always that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power; in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thess 2:16-17
Now may or Lord Jeus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.

2 Thess 3:16
Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance.

These verses have formed the basis of my recent prayers for those on my prayer list. What a blessing to pray for one another, and to know others are praying for me. When we pray according to Scripture, we can be confident we are praying according to God's will. It also helps focus our prayers on the spiritual, and not just the circumstantial. It can even change the way we pray regarding specific circumstances.

So I would challenge you, when you come across Scriptural prayers in your Bible reading, use them to pray for one another. You and they will be blessed!