Are You Grieving the Holy Spirit....?

I attended a prayer conference at Wild Peach Baptist Church last night. The Speaker was a Christian man of Indian descent: Bro Matthew Skariah, (not American Indian, but from India, the country!) He spoke very passionately about prayer.

One of his strongest points was that many people do not hear responses to prayer because of sin in their lives. Are You grieving the Holy Spirit right now and don't even know it...?

The Holy Spirit will not be mocked. God will not pour himself into a polluted vessel...!

What are we doing to ourselves when we watch television...? What about going to the movies...? When we turn on the radio or listen to music, is God being glorified...? Friends, if the activity does not magnify the Lord in some way please cut it out of Your life...!

I know I've got some pruning to do...!

More tomorrow...

Oswald Chambers on Prayer

I have read Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for HIS Highest for over ten years. Today's installment has aways been one of my favorites. It discusses what prayer is and why we need prayer.

Basically Chambers says that when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior then he comes to dwell within us in the form of the Holy Spirit. Chambers describes prayer as nourishment for the Holy Spirit within us. We can choose to either starve the spirit or nourish it.

A couple of key points from today's study include:

1. Many people look upon prayer as a means of getting things for ourselves. The biblical idea of prayer is that we get to know God Himself.

2. As long as a person is self-sufficient, then they tend to not ask anything of God.

3. Prayer changes a person's disposition towards things.

As I stated previously, I have studied Chamber's devotional for a little over ten years. I actually have two well-worn paperback copies. The past few years however I have taken to doing most of my studying online. This past year especially, I have been focusing more on Spurgeon's devotions, but I've just recently begun tuning back in to Chambers as well. -I'm so glad I did.

I love to read what others say and think about prayer...

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You so much my precious Lord for another day. Thank You for the quiet time I am experiencing right this moment. Father God I so appreciate the works of great Christians who have come before me. Thank You for Oswald Chamber's words of Wisdom this morning.

Thank You for prayer.

Lord it is my prayer today to lift up my precious bride who is teaching home schoolers this morning. I also lift up my sweet little boy Elijah who is starting his first day of school. And of course I lift up Connor who has probably the most difficult challenge of all: going to public school. I pray that the way he conducts himself today will be a bright light in a a sea of darkness. And I pray that for myself. as well.

Father, Enable me to take the gospel of truth to those that would hear it. Help me to be the Godly witness to those whom You have called me to share my faith.

Father God I am definitely not self-sufficient. I am relying on You for everything. I love You Lord. I rest in You.

In Jesus' name I pray, Amen,